


Looking Back As A Way Forward

by TheRowan



Series: AD MEMORIAM EORUM QUOS VALDE AMO [2]
Category: Sterek - Fandom, Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, BAMF Stiles Stilinski, Druids, First Love, First Time, First Time Sex, Hunters, Love Confessions, M/M, Magical Lydia Martin, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Mates, Memory Alteration, Pack Family, Pack Feels, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Sex Magic, Unrequited Love, Wolf Pack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-28
Updated: 2012-11-29
Packaged: 2017-11-17 23:21:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 49,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/554320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRowan/pseuds/TheRowan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years after Derek removed Stiles' memories things begin to break apart. When a new threat appears can Derek trust enough to let the only person he loves back into his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Looking Back as a Way Forward. TheRowan (Sterek Fanfic) The Present

* * *

 

Derek turned back and watched Stiles carefully as he and the others raced through the woods. The way the spastic rhythm of his arms and legs moved casually but strangely gracefully intrigued him. It was like watching a newborn fawn tripping and stumbling over the forest floor, but still managing to keep up with the rest of the herd.

Scott turned back and smiled encouragingly at Stiles. Stiles face red and slicked with sweat but his smile was happy. Derek held up his hand and on cue everyone stopped and crouched down silently.

Stiles skidded to a stop and less than gracefully fell forward trying to find cover behind a shrub.

Derek resisted the small bubble of laughter that slid up his chest watching Stiles’ floundering. He fought down the warmth that watching Stiles always twinged in his heart.

He looked around and saw that his pack had effectively vanished…except for the telltale twitching of the bush Stiles was behind.

Derek shook his head slightly. “Ok.” He called softly. “Good job…everyone.” Derek watched as every head popped up with a pleased smile.

Stiles stood up slowly and had a big grinned plastered over his face.

Derek eyed him. “Except you…I could see you the entire time.”

Stiles eyes dropped suddenly, his smile disappearing as his face shut down and the bright light of his eyes dimmed in defeat.

Derek grit his teeth and almost took a step towards him, but Scott intercepted him by grabbing Stiles into an embrace. “Dude! You were awesome. You totally kept up with us.”

Stiles bashfully looked up and gradually smiled. Derek looked down and away from the two friends. He cleared his throat. “Let’s get home…I can smell the rain coming.”

He felt Stiles’ eyes on him, watching and waiting. “You too…” Derek nodded at him. Stiles’ smile quirked suddenly, his eyes flashed happily at him.

Derek could see him gather his strength to make the two mile jog back to Derek’s house.

Stiles put on a brave front once they reached the familiar skeletal remains of Derek’s house. He bent over leaning against the hood of his jeep breathing heavily.

Derek could smell the exhaustion and lactic acid oozing from Stiles like a cologne.

Stiles caught Derek’s gaze and smirked. “I’m good…Just need…to…catch…my breath..is all.”

Derek gave him a concerned nod and turned back to his packmates. “Ok. Nice job. Go get cleaned up…”

They all scattered leaving Derek, Scott and Stiles standing around the jeep.

Scott gave Stiles a sympathetic smile and rubbed his shoulder. “How about I drive you home? You look pretty beat.”

Stiles shook his head and chuckled. “And let you grind my gears to hell and back? I don’t think so…I’m fine.”

“We can stop for a pizza?” Scott scrambled into the passenger side. “My treat?”

Stiles nodded then caught the look on Derek’s face as he turned away heading into his darkened house.

Stiles scanned the area realizing that Derek was once again alone. He let a sigh escape his lips and stepped back out of the jeep to Derek’s retreating form. “Hey! You want to come? Get some pizza?”

Derek froze and turned his head slowly towards Stiles. “We can get you a super duper meat lovers…Scott’s paying! You can get two!”

“Hey!” Scott yelped.

Derek turned and regarded them slowly, then shook his head. “I have…stuff to do…”

Stiles’ mouth pressed into a thin line and he nodded eyes down. “Sure…Just..Thought…”

He looked again up at Derek and held him in his gaze.

Derek’s eyebrows rose looking at him. “ I…appreciate it…Thanks…” He furrowed his brows looking confused for a moment at Stiles.

Stiles pulled out his saving grace smile and nodded. “Next time! Ok?” Derek nodded and turned back towards the house.

Stiles watched him enter the dark house and started the car. Scott smirked at him and turned on the stereo. “You really did great tonight!”

Stiles smiled back at him and gave him a slight nod. “Thanks.” Stiles drove through the wooded lane.

He should feel proud he thought. He kept pace…mostly. Wasn’t too loud…kind of…It was nice Derek had included him.

He suddenly turned to Scott. “What does he do…when you guys aren’t around?”

Scot frowned at him. “Who? Derek?” He stuck out his bottom lip thinking. “I dunno? Hunt rabbits? Work on the house?”

Stiles squeezed the steering wheel. “He’s alone…Always alone…except when we train…or someone is trying to kill us…”

Scott furrowed his brow at Stiles. “What’s with you?”

“Nothing…nothing just wondering.” Stiles headed down the road and merged onto the highway. His fingers tapping quickly on the wheel. “He ever go out? Meet people? You know?”

Scott chuckled. “I don’t think Derek’s very social…” He flipped through his phone messages. “I doubt he’d go out to bars or clubs…Hey! A message from Alison!” He descended into silence reading the text.

Stiles rolled his eyes ready for the next thing. “Can we skip the pizza? She wanted to talk with me!” Scott almost wiggled with joy at the prospect of seeing her.

Stiles eyed him. “I thought she wanted a cool off period?” Scott shrugged smiling happily.

“So? We can still talk you know.”

Stiles turned and looked at him. “So no pizza?”

“I’ll owe you I swear!” Scott chuckled at him. “Don’t get mad! I promise.”

Stiles turned back onto the main road. “You do realize that I am keeping a tab on all the ‘I owe yous’.

Scott grinned and nodded. “You are the best friend ever!”

Stiles smirked and nodded. “Thanks for noticing.”

* * *

 

It wasn’t well thought out…But then again very few of Stiles’ plans were.

He stood balancing the two boxes of pizza and the bottles of root beer as he knocked at Derek’s door. His legs wobbled tiredly and he wondered if he’d even be able to walk tomorrow.

There was a slight huff of breath from behind the door and then it opened slowly. Derek stood silhouetted in the faint glow of the hallway light.

He wore only his mud splattered jeans, his chest glistening with sweat. Stiles eyes couldn’t help but stare at him. He opened and closed his mouth quickly, trying to make his eyes look up.

“I…decided…to bring…these…to you.” He held up the boxes, jostling them and almost dropping the sodas. He caught them quickly before they fell.

Derek’s nostrils flared smelling at something.

He looked intently at Stiles. “No one is here.” He said sharply.

Stiles shuffled on his feet. “I know…I brought them for you…Us to eat…You know chewing swallowing…Pizza!” He lifted the boxes up as if Derek couldn’t see what they were.

“No bones…or sinew…give your wolfy teeth a break…Just saucy cheesy goodness.” Stiles smacked his lips and chuckled nervously. “Yummy?”

Derek closed his eyes as if in pain. “I told you I was busy.” Derek stepped back slightly still eyeing him with a confused sort of exasperation.

Stiles shrugged and pushed past him. “You said you couldn’t go out…so I came in…”

Derek barely gave him room enough to squeeze by. Stiles wiggled past, lifting the boxes above his head. “I’m in!” Stiles smiled at him in triumph.

Derek frowned and clenched his jaw slowly, finally, slightly nodding and gesturing with his head.

With an exasperated huff he shut the door behind Stiles. Without a word he grabbed his tee shirt from the bannister and pulling it on walked off into the darkness.

Stiles eyes scanned the house as he tried to follow Derek. He had never been inside before. Past the thick wooded stairway was a short hallway that led forward. Stiles could discern through the little light inside was that there were two other rooms off to the side.

The floors creaked menacingly under his sneakers. Stiles tensed slightly realizing that he was now standing stock still in total darkness. He felt as if he had stepped into some movie set where a chainsaw and a very disturbed man waited. He chuckled and realized he had one out of two correct as he crept forward.

“What!” Derek turned back to look at him, his eyes glowing eerily in the dim light. Stiles skidded to a stop.

“Nothing…Just can’t really see…too well in here.” Derek scowled and flipped on a light.

Stiles blinked like an owl and looked around him at the scorched and dingy room.

At one time it must have been beautiful. Dark intricate tiles lined the floors. The counters and center island moss green granite, the cabinets wood and glass.

Stiles placed the boxes down and looked around wide eyed. “Nice kitchen!” He smiled nervously. He cautiously opened the box.

He noticed Derek sniffed again and looked almost nervously at Stiles. “How much?” He asked softly.

Stiles grabbed a pizza and took a bite. “As much as you want!” He chuckled with his mouth full.

“No. How much do I owe you…For this.” Derek gestured at the pizzas.

Stiles jerked his head back and snorted and half laughed. “Nothing…My treat…You don’t owe me…” He regarded Derek for a moment.

Derek just stood watching him. Stiles put down his half eaten piece down slowly looking at Derek with a confused smile. “Hasn’t anyone just….brought you a pizza? Or food…Just because?”

Derek’s head bowed. “No.”

Stiles nearly choked on his mouthful. Derek looked back up at him again.

“What is it you want Stiles?” Stiles shook his head in disbelief. He reached out and grabbed the box and pushed it at Derek. “Just take a piece of pizza! Christ! Everyone doesn’t have sinister motives you know! I was just trying…Just wanted…”

Derek looked even more confused at Stiles’ sudden raised voice. “Just eat…its getting cold.”

Stiles leaned against the counter turning away from Derek as if he were some timid wild animal he had left scraps out for on a cold winter day and didn’t want to spook.

He heard the cardboard slip softly and the small groan from Derek as he succumbed to the taste of the pizza.

Stiles turned back and gave him a nod and raised his root beer in a mock toast. “ Here’s to good pizza and…friends…” He waited as Derek eyed him still chewing.

Derek raised his brows and gave a small grunt and nod as he grabbed up another piece. “Uhhm. You return the cheer…With your…” Stiles shook his head. “Forget it.”

He twisted the cap and was immediately spritzed and drenched with a sweet smelling fountain. Stiles spluttered and gasped wiping his face off with his shirt.

He looked up at Derek who had a slight smile on his face his own root beer opened and lifted. “Cheers” He clanged it into Stiles’ now empty bottle.

“Funny…so funny.” But for a minute as their eyes met it was the best possible thing that could have happened.

Stiles chalked it up as a major victory. He made Derek smile.

 

* * *

He hated to admit it but there definitely was a dull pain every time Stiles left him.

He had worried briefly that being inside the house might have triggered something, brought back some memory, but Stiles was just Stiles.

Derek held the worn leather book Stella had given him. Her scent was long gone from the battered pages, but the memory was still there, along with the promise she had him make.

“Remember Stiles! Keep him in your memory. Perhaps one day he will be the advisor for you I never had the chance to be.”

Derek returned the book back into his trunk and sat down on his worn out mattress thinking.

His mind returning back to the first time had seen Stiles after all those years; walking with Scott in the woods after Peter had bitten him.

When he caught Stiles’ scent the wolf in him had rejoiced. He had fought the urge to grab him and hold him, instead he kept his eyes firmly focused on the newly bitten Scott.

Stiles eyes had never left him however. He heard his breathing quicken, his pulse race; and for a moment Derek half expected Stiles to call out to him. To remember him.

But he hadn’t. He only remembered what the town remembered.

He was that poor Hale kid, whose whole family had been burned alive all those years ago.

He understood why Laura had made him take the memories, it was necessary, but here they were years later and Stiles was again smack dab in the mix of it.

Derek paced his room trying to shake it off. Stiles was a flame and he was the moth. All those things were still fresh in his mind. That kiss, gentle and real, from a life long ago. He brushed his fingers over his lips remembering it.

Stiles innocent and young smiling up at him.

“My first kiss.” He had said softly. And then Derek’s claws had pulled that away. Stripped him of that.

But it remained. Derek pressed his fingers softly against his lips, closing his eyes. He kept it still. He kept Stiles forever in his memory.


	2. Chapter 2

John had hauled the last of the boxes from the attic and sat back with a heavy sigh.

His hand fumbled for the chair and he sat down slowly looking at the assorted memories stacked neatly around him. He poured himself another glass of whiskey and took a sip.

Pressing his lips together he opened the top box. With a soft chuckle he pulled out a stained and faded apron. He rubbed his fingers over the soft fabric. He carefully folded it back up and placed it down.

He pulled out the neatly folded clothing and placed them aside.

The next item that caught his eye was a bent frame and old photo. John pulled it out and squinted at the image. He couldn’t place the face smiling head bent down against Stella’s. He sipped his drink and sat back looking at her.

“Dad?” Stiles stood in the doorway. He put down his backpack and lacrosse gear and walked to his father.

He reached down and gave his dad’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

John smirked and looked up briefly. “Just doing what we decided. Cleaning out some of mom’s stuff.”

He sighed slowly. “Just deciding what to keep and what to…Hey? You recognize this lady?” He scratched his head and handed the photo to Stiles. “For the life of me I can’t place the face.”

Stiles took it and smiled looking at his mom’s wide laughing face. The woman embracing her had her eyes closed and was slightly turned away from the shot, but Stiles could tell she was stunning and obviously someone his mother considered close.

Stiles shrugged. “I don’t know? Friend from school…But mom looks like she was older…”

Stiles squinted at the photo. “What’s behind them?”

John pulled out his glasses and squinted again at the photo. “A house…But I don’t recognize it.”

Stiles took it back and flipped it over and with a smirk at his father pulled it from the frame. “Mom wrote on it…Some investigator you are!”

He squatted down next to his dad reading it. He looked up suddenly at his father. “Esmee…Hale House 2005? Dad?”

John took the photo and nodded slowly. “Can’t believe I didn’t recognize her…Esmee.” He put the photo down on his lap. He looked up with a sigh.

“Derek Hale’s mom…They had been friends.” John sipped again at his drink.

“Mom was friends with Derek’s mom? And you never told me?”

John frowned. “I thought you knew that…You used to go over there all the time…She would take mom to chemo sometimes…she was a good friend.”

Stiles picked up the picture and looked down at it with a confused look. “I have absolutely no memory of that…”

He looked back at his father. “I knew Derek? I mean back then?”

John began pulling out more items from the box and shrugged. “I guess…You were over there a lot…He was always looking out for you…watching you.”

Stiles sat down dumbfounded. “Like babysitting me?” He chuckled. John shrugged. “Nah, just hanging out with you. I think Laura watched you once or twice.”

Stiles startled. “I knew Laura?”

John chuckled. “It’s not like this is a big town…Yeah. She watched you…You ok?”

He squinted over his glasses at Stiles. Stiles mouth was opening and closing in shock. “Yeah…Just…weird twilight zone moment…”

He held the photo and looked again at the dark hair and slight smile on Esmee’s face. “I just wish I could have remembered her…this…”

John sighed. “It’s too bad about what happened…How Derek turned out. He used to be a nice, quiet kid…Your mom loved him.”

“What do you mean how he turned out Derek’s ok…A bit of a grump. But he’s ok.”

John pulled back and gave his son a look. “Derek? He’s been accused of murder…Lives out of a previously condemned house…has no job…From a parental point of view that doesn’t scream success.”

Stiles shook his head. “He’s misunderstood!”

John smirked. “If I remember correctly…You and Scott were pretty sure he was not ok…Just recently…Remember that little ‘ He tried to kill us’ moment?”

Stiles frowned at him. “I…might have been too quick to judge him. Besides…We know he is innocent…Now. He’s had it hard…really hard.”

John looked at him with brows drawn. “Uh-huh.”

* * *

An hour later they had divided the items into three piles.

Things that they would donate to Goodwill, things for friends and family that could be used and things for Stiles.

Stiles pile seemed to continuously get higher and higher.

John sat back and chuckled looking at it. “Where are you going to put all that?” John was looking at the stacks of books and the overstuffed knitting basket.

Stiles was flipping through another book looked up at his dad with a lopsided smirk. “I’ll build a bookcase, and then knit a sweater!”

“You?” John chuckled “Yeah. Ok and Santa will bring you a nice new Jeep.”

John rubbed his head affectionately and then slapping his hands stood up, “Ok. Help me carry these two boxes out to the cruiser. I’ll take them tomorrow.”

 

It took Stiles three trips to carry up all the books, notebooks and miscellaneous knick knacks that he hadn’t the heart to part with.

He opened up a carved wooden box to find assorted baggies of what looked like potpourri.

He stretched back on his bed and sniffed cautiously at each bag. Some smelt nice, fragrant and flowery; others made him fall backwards in a sneezing fit.

He carefully placed them back one at a time.

The last thing he wanted to explore was an old battered book.

His dad had said it had once belong to his grandparents from the old world, which had made Stiles chuckle. “Old world? Who are you Columbus?”

“You know what I mean.” John had laughed back at him.

It definitely had an old world feel to it. He unclasped the metal filigreed cover to peel the pages opened carefully.

He felt a sudden chill as he flipped through the pages. The language looked strangely familiar…old, archaic…but it was the emblem on the top of each page that caught his eye.

A strange three legged symbol that he had seen often before. A sign that drew his eyes every time a certain werewolf walked around half naked and glistening. Stiles traced the symbol with his finger. “What the hell?”


	3. Chapter 3

At one time having Lydia Martin sprawled out on his bed would have made Stiles erupt in a fervored panting mass of teenage hormones, instead it only made him smile.

She had strangely become one of the few people he could be at ease with; he figured she had already seen him at him blubbering idiotic best…it could only get better from here.

He turned to her still flipping through the old book.

She flounced slightly and sat up. “I thought we were going to do something fun?” She pursed her lips and eyed him.

He looked up at her and shrugged slightly. “I need your help.”

She groaned. “More werewolf research for Scott? Someone give the boy a clue. You wouldn’t believe he’s a junior in high school. Doesn’t he know how to ‘google’ for pete’s sake!”

“No. No not for Scott. For me. This” He held the book out to her to see and rolled his desk chair up to the bed. “Was my mom’s.”

That peaked her interest. She furrowed her brow and looked down at the book in his hands. “It looks just like…” Her eyes went up and held his.

“Yeah. Gerald’s Beastiary…Which makes no sense…at all.” He flipped through the pages slowly.

His finger pointing. “I researched this symbol…The triskalion…It’s on every page. It’s Celtic. It has a bunch of meanings…depending on what you look up…”

Stiles turned back to the desk and pulled out a pile of printed papers. He smiled up at Lydia.

She craned her neck and looked at the pages. She lifted her eyes and cocked her head slightly. “Hmm. Reminds me of something I’ve seen…” Her eyes on him sparkled. “On a certain Alpha we both know?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Purely coincidental…”

Lydia made a ‘Hmmph” noise. “Yea. Right.”

“What?” Stiles chuckled nervously. “It’s a symbol…that Derek…so happens…to have.”

Lydia crossed her legs and leaned forward. “So what is the meaning our fearless Alpha sporting?”

Stiles frowned. “This isn’t about him.” He felt his cheeks blushing under her scrutiny. “It’s about this book. Why is it here? On every single freakin’ page. And why did my mom have something written in Archaic Latin?” Stiles regarded her with a confused look.

“Let’s start with what you found before I have to curl up with a moldy old tome…That’s why I’m here right? Your own personal Archaic Latin translator.”

Stiles stuck his lip out and scrunched his face hoping it would look pleading and adorable.

He shrugged when she only sighed. “Yeah…Sorry.”

Lydia chuckled and undid her pumps and pulled her bare feet under herself. “Well since I’m all dressed up with nowhere to go…Might as well.”

“Ok. So the Triksalion mainly shows up as the triple goddess. Maiden, Mother and Crone. See it is used as a passage way for initiation rites. Usually for maidens being indoctrinated into the Goddess rites. It can also represent Father, Son and Holy Ghost. But these obviously came about once Christianity was moving through the area.”

Lydia pulled out a sheet and eyed it. “What about this?” She handed it back to Stiles. He looked down at it. “Well, it’s basically the same idea…as the triple goddess. Birth, Death and Rebirth… But why would he…” Stiles stopped suddenly as Lydia looked at him.

“Uhmm. Thought Derek had nothing to do with this inquiry? Hmm?”

Stiles flushed and began to stutter. “He doesn’t. Just. Weird. That. He has. This…Branded to him…Inked in.”

Stiles groaned. “Ok! God! Yes I want to know why he has it and why the hell it’s on every one of my mother’s family Hoodoo guide! Because if I find out we’re related that would really be a screwed up…”

He stopped as she began to laugh at him.

“What!” He laughed back at her.

“I think someone has a lot of Derek on the brain.”

“Do not…Shut up.”

“So if you were related? Those horny Derek dreams would be awfully embarrassing right?”

Stiles nearly slipped from the chair. He gawked at her his mouth dropping open. “Wha..? Where? Why…Why did you say that?” He hated that his voice actually raised an octave in pitch. He cleared his throat. “I never.”

He felt his cheeks flush betraying him as he spoke.

Lydia leaned in towards him, her eyes piercing and glimmering with mirth. She held a finger to his lips.

“ Only because your pupils dilate significantly whenever you look at him, and your body language always has you leaning towards or directly mimicking his whenever he is around.” She smiled sweetly.

“Plus I totally saw you licking your lips and checking out his ass last time we all had a training group.”

Stiles opened and closed his mouth tightly. “You are a witch.” He murmured with a scowl. “An overly observant, scarily smart witch!”

She giggled and kissed him quickly. “Shhh. Your secrets safe with me.”

“Now let’s have a look at this sucker.” She hefted the heavy book and spread it one her lap and began to scan the pages.

A sudden cold breeze moved through the room making the pages turn slowly, Lydia looked up at Stiles.

His eyes widened at her. “What was that?” he whispered.

Lydia shook her head slowly. Her eyes nervously scanned the room.

She dropped them down to the page and read.

“Through this rite the circle of life and death can be reversed, however there is always a balance that must be met. The guardians of the way will weigh these actions. Every raindrop fills the ocean, but the ocean would drench the land. Balance must be made and held by the blood, the maid and the moon. As the flower grows to create a seed, the seed shall take the strength of the stem to burrow down into the dark, before a new bloom begins.”

Stiles shook his head. “What the hell does that mean? Circle of life and death?”

Lydia looked up with horrified eyes. “The blood…the maid and the moon? Stiles? What did he make me do? And what…What does it mean?”

Stiles reached for her and held her hand. It was icy cold, he rubbed it slowly. “You ok? What? What do you mean? What ‘he’” Stiles cautiously pulled the book from her lap and sat with his arm around her.

Lydia looked at him with tears in her eyes. “Peter…he cheated death…” She looked down at her hands. “By the blood…the maid…and the moon…”

She looked up at him. “I have a bad feeling…Something didn’t like that this happened.”

Stiles remembered something Derek had said when they were laying paralyzed looking at Matt’s slow transformation into the Kanima.

“The universe demands balance, Stiles.”

“Balance.” He whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

Stiles carefully handed the steaming mug of tea to Lydia. She held it and gave him a soft nod. “Thanks.” She whispered.

He picked up the book and held it gently against his lap.

Lydia sighed and rolled her eyes at him. “More? Stiles are you serious?”

He bit his lip and shrugged slowly. “I just can’t do this…by myself.” He looked at her then bowed his head. “It was…my mom’s…”

He held her gaze knowing that tears were pooling in his eyes. He looked down at the book and rubbed it gently. “Something that I never knew about…Something special about her…” He looked up again. “About me?”

Lydia closed her eyes and nodded. “For you Stiles…Ok.”

He blinked and gave her a wavering smile. “Thanks.”

While she read Stiles wrote down her translations. Most of it had to do with harvesting and planting during certain lunar phases, equinoxes and solstices.

The plant names some common, some strange and exotic sounding. The next part discussed certain rituals using herbs, using stones and earth and clay.

Lydia stretched out and fell backwards onto the bed. “Ok. This is so incredibly…boring.”

Stiles shrugged slightly and flipped through the book. “The rituals sounded interesting…The one with the protection circle? Might come in handy?” he began flipping through his notes. “See…This one with the red clay…cedar wood…”

Lydia scurried to sit up. “You aren’t actually thinking about…trying some of these? Stiles?” She reached out and grabbed his arm roughly. “This isn’t a joke! This stuff...It’s real. We know that! Look at what Peter did…” Her eyes were wide and frightened. “What I did!”

“Hey! Calm down. I wasn’t…” Stiles got up and began to pace. He stopped and frowned suddenly looking away.

His voice got low and tired. “I’m just sick of being the sitting duck during the gun shoot. Aren’t you? “

He put his hand down on the desk, his eyes looking at the stacks of photos, print outs and miscellaneous werewolf related research that had accumulated there.

Stiles threw his hands up in the air and gestured. “Don’t you want to know what this shit is all about…Instead of someone pulling it out and throwing in our faces! When we least expect it!”

Lydia sat back in surprise as his voice rose angrily. “I’m tired of Derek and Peter and even freaking Scott holding all the secrets. Having the clue to what’s going on! Look at how Scott didn’t even fill me in with that whole mountain ash shit he concocted with Deaton!”

He rubbed his face tiredly. "I’ve had it with worrying if the next big bad knocking on the door will be the one…” He stopped and hung his head. “Sorry. Sorry.”

He rubbed his face tiredly and peeked over his fingers at her.

She arched her brows and nodded slightly. “You ok?”

“Obviously not…” He chuckled weakly. “I just feel…Cut off…Like I should be able to do more…Know more. And then there’s this…” He lifted the book and held it before him. “I feel like she left me something…That should have been mine…and somehow it isn’t.”

Lydia sighed deeply and bit her lip looking at him. “Stiles…I’ll help. But promise me you won’t try anything…Please?” She looked at him with frightened eyes. “Not until we can talk to someone who might understand this…like maybe Deaton or…”

“Or who?” Stiles sat down next to her. “Derek?” He eyed her sideways. Then down at his lap with a frown. “He’d tell me to stay out of trouble…and that I’m an idiot.”

Lydia chuckled and leaned against him. “I think he only does that because he cares.”

Stiles gave a snort and rolled his eyes. “Yeah…Right.”

Lydia put her head on his shoulder and smiled up at him. “You aren’t the only one whom I use my scary observant witch skills on…I think Derek feels more than he’s able to say…But his actions, his voice and his eyes…They say a lot.”

Stiles pulled back with a bemused smirk. “Yeah? You think?”

Lydia smiled and arched her brow. “Time will tell.”

* * *

Stiles stopped to stretch his aching hand as he wrote down everything Lydia was reading.

His head was slowly spinning in confusion as she read about werewolves and something called skin walkers, Tuatha De Danann…Which was… what the hell…? Wights, Merrows, Sidhe?

Rituals, practices of these beings…customs…Housekeeping habits? Marriage and mating rituals. Stiles dropped his head in his hands and tried to stop the whirring dizziness that seemed to be spiking out of control in his head.

How was this even in his mother’s world? How did this happen? His mother?

The lady who was happy sitting knitting blankets and pillow covers? Who loved her job as a librarian, loved simple things like a day in her garden and was crazily excited by cooking family dinners?

He looked up at Lydia and listened to what she had just read. He turned to look at her.

“What was that last thing you said?” Lydia took a deep breath and reread it slowly.

“The line of Cerrennus’ wolf will hold sway over lesser beasts. As their domain is the Mother’s Moon they can hold her glimmer and changeability. They can master pain and ease the troubles of the mind. Through claw and will they can withdraw the ether of pains and the sorrows of memories.”

Lydia looked up and shrugged. “That’s it. That…and this picture.”

She turned the book to show Stiles. It showed a woodcut print of a young man lying under the paw of the giant wolf atop of him.

At first glance it would have seemed that the wolf was about kill the boy, but instead it was looking down at him, jaws closed, eyes focused on the figure beneath him.

The boy himself was calm, tears leaking down his face. The only strange thing was the small trickle of blood at the back of his neck. Without realizing it Stiles found himself rubbing the back of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know its a slow build up...Bear with me I have some big things in mind.  
> Keep the comments coming I love your input and notes!


	5. Chapter 5

Stiles packed his lacrosse gear and headed out the door through the bustling crowd. He spotted Scott ahead and tried to catch his attention.

“Hey! Hey!” He flailed his arms jostling his gear and book bag. Every head but Scott’s turned.

Scott was fixated at the fleeing form of Alison ahead of him. Scott picked up his pace to match Alison’s stride and the two of them headed off, heads bowed close, smiling in their private bubble.

“So much for your super-duper wolfy senses! You are supposed to drive me to pick up my jeep….Idiot!” Stiles dropped his bag in frustration and scanned for a familiar…or at least semi-friendly face.

If he pouted enough maybe he could hitch a ride? He sighed as he realized he was alone…again.

No Lydia, no Danny…not even Greenberg. Stiles pressed his lips together in annoyance and took a deep breath gathered up his bags and began to hoof it. As he walked he kept a running litany of Scott’s selfish acts.

Why he was still friends with him was nothing short of miraculous. Sure they’d been friends since second grade, sure he was someone he could pretty much tell anything too…He was funny, he was caring, he was a total lost cause without Stiles…Stiles chuckled and picked up the pace. That was the cincher, they were two dysfunctional basket cases…And even though Scott had Alisionitis of the privates, Stiles knew at the heart of it all…they were brothers.

The past two late night researching sessions with Lydia had left him drained. He hadn’t been able to stop himself from re-reading everything they had written down. He decided he’d talk with Scott first before he brought the book to Deaton.

Lydia had made him promise to step away from it. Not think about it at all.

But it was so hard. He had a million questions that he wanted answered… But so far no one could answer them.

He felt alone. There was that same sadness again, the one that crept in lately. He was alone. Lydia had Jackson, Scott had Alison and his wolf playmates, Erica was with Boyd, Danny…could have anyone…Face it…And Stiles? Stiles was just the afterthought. The one they called when they needed a favor, or an excuse or a laugh…They all had someone to count on, trust, love…

A screeching of tires behind him snapped him from his thoughts, he jumped away slightly thinking the black car had been aiming to hit him. He looked up to see Derek Hale. His sunglasses blocking his usually annoyed expression at Stiles, but he had a slight smirk on the corner of his face. He leaned out of the window to regard Stiles. “What are you doing?”

Stiles gestured at the road. “Uh. Walking home.” He adjusted his book bag. “Couldn’t find a ride…My jeep is back in the shop…”

Derek opened his mouth with a smile. “Oh. Ok. See ya!”

Then the bastard drove off. Sties frowned and shook his head at the retreating car. “Really cool!” He yelled. “Son of a freakin’ bitch!”

He began walking again, then stopped when he heard the tires squeal and the black Camaro turned around.

Derek pulled up again next to him. His smug smile still lingering on his face. “Get in idiot!” He looked forward with a scowl as if all ready regretting his decision.

Stiles walked around the car to open the door. “You could say it a little nicer!” He huffed at Derek.

Derek took off his glasses and arched an eyebrow and then sped off leaving Stiles stumbling in the road. Stiles quickly yelped. “Ok! Ok! Sorry…Jeesh!”

Derek stopped the car five feet away and Stiles quickly climbed in before his mouth got him into any more trouble.

He wrestled with his gear, banging against the roof and dashboard. Derek turned and looked at him with an angry scowl. “You break anything! And I’ll break you!”

“Sorry…Sorry..It’s like a freakin’ matchbox car in here!”

Once Stiles had safely propped his stick and piled up his gear, Derek pulled out. He gave Stiles a sideways glance and sniffed. “You stink!” He growled.

“Holy hell man!” Stiles jerked to look at him. “I just finished Lacrosse practice and walked almost two miles! On foot…Carrying about ten pounds of books and crap!” Derek rolled his eyes at him.

“You know we all don’t have super wolf strength and endurance…And stop smelling me…Weirdo.”

“It’s kind of hard not to smell you when you’re right on top of me!” Derek snapped.

Stiles tried to move closer to the door. He rolled the window down. “There! Better?”

“No because now it’s blowing right in my face!” Derek growled, his eyes flashing at Stiles, his hands gripping the steering wheel.

Stiles looked at him in disbelief. “You are such a big baby! You probably roll around in all kinds of yuck and here’s me with…Honest to god…Not so bad B.O and you’re getting all weirdo wolfy.”

Derek turned and drew his eyebrows down at him. “Weirdo Wolfy? What’s wrong with you?”

Stiles frowned back at him. “I don’t smell bad!” He mumbled and tried to innocently sniff at his pits. “Well, not too bad…”

Derek huffed and shook his head. “Now my whole car will stink like Stiles…” He mumbled and turned to him lips pressed tightly. “For a week.”

Stiles closed his eyes. “Just let’s hurry this up.” He turned and looked at Derek with a frown. “Then you won’t need to be bothered with me anymore…Just like everyone else.” He mumbled softly.

Stiles kept his eyes ahead. Derek looked over at him quickly then back at the road. “I’m not… bothered…by you.” Derek pressed his lips together tightly trying not to look at Stiles.

He shook his head and took in a calming breath. “Where am I taking you?”

“Al’s auto body…Stupid Mrs. Wrangler backed her Cadillac into my jeep. Needed to replace my tail lights.”

Stiles fingers began twitching at the laces of his lacrosse stick. He sighed deeply, making Derek look at him. He turned on the stereo, then catching Derek’s annoyed look, flipped it back off.

“Why are you so fidgety!” Derek huffed. Stiles shrugged. “Uhmm. Teenager…ADD…bored…just listening to your ‘huff’s of annoyance…And now you made me feel…all self-conscious …because I stink…”

“Sorry.” Derek said barely audible. Stiles looked at him. “What do you care? I’m sure the mechanic won’t notice.”

Stiles smiled at him. “Yeah but Missy…She’s in the office is a babe! You should see her…Like “Whoa”!

Derek smirked at him. “So little Stiles has a crush?” He looked intently at Stiles, his brows furrowed. “I thought you and Lydia?”

Stiles scowled. “N-Nooo…Besides!” He turned to face Derek. “How the hell do you know about Lydia? And me?”

Derek chuckled. “Oh...Only the way your heart picked up every time she’s around…and the scent of desire…” Derek pressed his lips tightly. “Whenever we get together for training…Just seemed…”

Stiles mouth dropped open in shock. “The scent of desire? Dude? That’s like seriously…Weird…You can smell that?...On me?” He didn’t mean to have the last word squeak out but it did.

Derek looked sideways at him. “You are always smelling like that…” Stiles looked away quickly, feeling the flush climb up his neck and cheeks. An image of Derek shirtless and all stupidly perfect muscular flashed into his mind.

Derek nodded. “…Like all the time.”

Stiles feet pushed against the floor mat trying to hurry the car along.

“So? You and Lydia just friends?” Derek was focused on the road. “She is pretty hot.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, and turned back to him. “Why? You going to get in that line too? Jackson, Peter and now you?” Stiles pulled the zipper up and down on his bag in annoyance.

Derek smirked to himself. “Nah…” He looked at Stiles. “She’s not my type.”

Stiles looked at him with a confused expression. Stiles blew out a shaky breath. “No…Just friends…she’s really not uhhmm. My type either…after all.”

He saw Derek’s lips quirk slightly but he kept his gaze fixed ahead.

* * *

The Camaro turned into the mechanics parking lot. Derek raised an eyebrow at him. “Here you are.”

“It’s been real….” Stiles opened the door and pulled out his bags. He looked at Derek and smiled quickly. “I..I..Thank you…” Derek nodded then turned off the engine.

“What? What are you doing?” Derek shrugged. “I’ll wait…make sure it’s ready…Unless you really do want to walk home?”

Stiles rolled his eyes but nodded. “Knowing my luck…Ok. Thanks.”

Derek got out of the car and smirked. “Plus…I’d like to see what’s all the fuss is…” he cocked his head at Stiles. “Her name’s Missy…Right?”

Stiles groaned and followed Derek inside. His eyes fixed on the way Derek’s back and arm muscles moved. How his jeans seemed airbrushed over his leg muscles.

“You can at least put on your jacket!” He mumbled.

 

Stiles walked up to the counter and dropped his bags and flashed a smile at Missy. “I’m Stiles Stilinski, I’m here to pick up my jeep.” She looked up from the computer and her eyes zeroed in immediately at Derek.

“Oh. Hello.” She perked up and flashed a smile. Stiles followed her gaze and rolled his eyes.

“Uhmm. Me. I’m Stiles.” She blinked away from Derek and regarded him. “Sorry…I don’t think they’ve finished it yet.”

She pulled out the invoice. “Broken rear axle?”

“What!...No..No…Just tail lights…” Stiles groaned and leaned against the counter. Derek stepped forward and gave her a smile that caused her to sink into her chair slightly with a sigh.

“Hey. Hi I’m Derek…Stiles’ friend.”

“Hi Derek.” She giggled softly. “He really needs to get his jeep…Poor little guy has school and practice…You know how it is…” Stiles face scowled behind him.

Derek leaned in towards Missy. “Could you do me a big…favor and check on it for us…I’d really be grateful?”

Her eyes blinked slowly looking at him and nodded. “Ok.” She breathed. She got up slowly, arranging her hair and gave Derek a bashful smile. “For you.”

She winked and walked slowly into the garage giving her hips an extra wiggle as she looked back at Derek.

Stiles turned and looked at Derek. “What?” Derek chuckled.

Stiles tried not to look at his perfect eyes and sculpted jaw. He dropped his eyes down in defeat. “Nothing.”

Missy returned with a faux frown and her lips pouted slightly. She leaned against the counter. “Sorry Al says it’s going to be another hour at least. You are welcomed to wait? I can make some coffee?” She raised hopeful eyes up at Derek.

Derek gave her a pouting frown. “That’s too bad.” He reached over and patted Stiles’ head. “I got to get this little guy home. He’s got homework…We’ll come back for it later.”

She smiled at him. “I’ll be here until six!” She licked her lips softly.

Derek smiled again at her. He arched an eyebrow. “Maybe I’ll catch you then.”

She blushed and nodded. “Oh…Ok!”

Stiles grabbed up his bags and pounded from the room. Derek waved goodbye and followed.

Stiles stood next to the Camaro, his face a mix of emotions.

Derek eyed him and raised an eyebrow. “What?” He opened the car.

Stiles shook his head and climbed in, not caring that he banged and smashed things with his stick.

Derek climbed in and looked at him with a surprised smile. “What’s wrong with you?” Stiles looked up and then at him. “Way to cock block Dude!”

Derek chuckled and started the car. “You’re imaging things!”

“Oh.Right. Like you being all sexy…With your muscles and sultry…Smiling…And stubble…” Stiles began floundering as he looked at Derek.

He felt the red splotches flaring on his cheeks. He looked down and bit his lip. Derek laughed softly. “Sexy? You think I’m sexy Stiles?” Derek said in the same low murmur he had given to Missy.

Stiles grit his teeth. “Shut up! You know you are!”

Derek raised an eyebrow at him a small smile playing across his lips.

Stiles eyes went wide. “Just…Just take me home!” He looked at Derek’s feigned innocent face and sighed.

He hoped to god that his B.O. was covering up any other new scents that might have suddenly risen to the surface. “Stupid freakin’ werewolves!” he thought.


	6. Chapter 6

 

Derek pulled into the driveway and parked the Camaro. Stiles leaned back into the seat and took a deep breath. Then looked over at the space where his dad’s car wasn’t.

“Crap.” He mumbled. Derek eyed him. “What?”

Stiles rolled his eyes and gestured to the empty driveway. “Forgot. My dad is covering the station again…He’s been doing that a lot…since…Matt’s visit.”

He opened the door and began pulling out his gear and book bag.

“I guess I’ll call Scott…Or go tomorrow…” Stiles frowned and pulled his book bag over his shoulder. “Thanks again…” he turned and headed up the walkway to the front door, his hands deep in his pockets digging out his keys. 

Derek stepped out of the car and walked up to him. Watching Stiles spin slowly trying now to extricate his hand with the keys made him bite back a small chuckle. He steadied Stiles with a hand at his back. Stiles startled and looked up at him.

“Let me help…before you hurt yourself.” Derek held Stiles still as he finally pulled his keys free. Derek stood looking at him for a heartbeat. Stiles’ brow raised slightly and he looked down at the hand still holding against his back softly. “Thanks.”

Derek blinked suddenly as jerked his hand away as if burnt. “Yeah.” He dropped his eyes and looked away. “No problem.”

Stiles opened the door and turned back to him. “You…Uhmm…Want to come inside?”

Derek stiffened slightly. “I was just going to say…I’d take you back for your…the Jeep.” He looked away nervously. “When you’d like.”

Stiles’ smile lit up his whole face. He nodded gratefully. “Really? That is…Well. Awesome of you.” Derek huffed out an annoyed breath. “I have been known to do nice things once in a while…”

Stiles chuckled again and gave Derek a mock punch on his shoulder. “I know…I mean. Yeah. Ok.” He walked inside and dropped down his gear and bag. He turned and smirked at Derek. “Uh. You can come in…I’ve got dinner to make…You hungry?”

Derek stepped inside and scanned the house slowly.  He looked up at Stiles and gave a soft nod.

Stiles laughed and threw off his jacket. “Of course you are! When Scott eats over I have to double everything I make!” Stiles pulled opened the fridge and bent down inside pulling out some dishes.

“ Hey come in here. My dad had grilled some steak last night. I could mix up a stir fry?” He poked his head up to look at Derek, who was shuffling nervously from foot to foot standing in the kitchen doorway. 

“Yeah…Actually I should go…and I’ll come back later…” 

Stiles dropped the veggies on the table and shut the door. “Oh. Come on. I just got my culinary mojo going…Stay.” His eyes held Derek’s with the same determination Derek had imprinted in his mind. The headstrong kid climbing up the pine tree looking for him.

He swallowed back the lump in his throat and simply nodded. “Ok.”

“Yes!” Stiles cheered. “I’m going to marinate this in some terryaki and while that’s brewing just jump in the shower…”

Derek flinched. “I really can just come back…to eat…if you need…”

Stiles kept slicing the meat and dropped it into a bowl. “Nah…Take me two seconds.” He finished and wiped his hands. He covered the bowl and stuck it back into the fridge. “I’ll chop up the veggies and we’ll be done in no time.” He  walked past Derek and gave him a smirk. “I don’t want my B.O ruining your dinner! Be right out!” He placed a gentle hand on Derek’s shoulder and brushed by him.

Derek watched him pound up the stairs peeling off his lacrosse shirt exposing his trim and toned torso. Derek took a staggered step back, feeling his breath finally release out in a soft hiss.

 

When Stiles returned Derek was sitting hands still thrust deeply into his pockets, his eyes glancing around cautiously. Stiles chuckled at him as he headed into the kitchen, his hair still damp and the scent of soap and water fresh on him.

“You can get comfortable…Take off your jacket.” Derek stood up and followed him and slowly pulled off his jacket. He held it in front of his body nervously.

Stiles pulled out pots and pans and began sauting the meat. He smiled at Derek and started chopping the broccoli and bok choy. “Hey grab me the carrots…”

Derek put down his jacket and opend the fridge.

“They should be in the left side crisper.” Stiles said from beside him. “Oh and see if there are any peppers.”

Derek scooped out the vegetables and handed them out to Stiles.

Stiles eyed him. “You’re a big boy…Get to chopping…Here.” He stepped over and handed Derek his knife.

“I’ll get the meat done.”

Derek let out a breath and pressed his lips together and began slicing. Stiles watched him and gave him a smile. “You ever cook before?”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Yes.”

Stiles chuckled making Derek turn and look at him. “What?” He asked arching an eye brow at him.

“Nothing. Just…I don’t know. It’s kind of funny…You cooking.”

Derek frowned. “I do have to eat you know.”

“I just figured you ordered out or got…I don’t know  ‘Swanson’s Hungry wolf dinners’?” He bumped against Derek with a smile. “I’m just kidding…don’t get mad.”

Derek sighed. “I’m not mad…” He eyed Stiles sideways and scooped up the vegetables. “Put them in?”

Stiles nodded and stepped back as Derek poured in the vegetables.  Stiles stirred them in quickly.

“My mom and I use to cook together.” He said it so quietly that for a moment Stiles was unsure if he had meant to say it aloud.

Derek looked quickly at, then away from Stiles. Stiles only nodded. “Mine too.” He smiled at Derek. “And thank god she did…cause my dad? Let’s just say that boiled water gets a bad taste after he’s done with it!”

 

Derek ate quickly and deliberately. He hunched himself over the plate protectively and dug in. Stiles couldn’t help but smile as Derek looked up eagerly when Stile’s piled another helping onto his plate. Derek gave a soft grunt. “It’s good.”

Stiles nodded and sat back watching him with a soft smile. “I’m glad you liked it.” Stiles jumped up quickly. “Hold on I have something else…” He rummaged in the fridge and pulled out something. “Ok! No peeking!” Derek rose his nose up and sniffed. “Apple pie?”

Stiles head popped up with a scowl. “Cheater! No sniffing!”

Derek chuckled slightly. Stiles plopped the piece down with a huge dollop of whipped cream. “I was saving it for my dad, but he doesn’t need the extra calories…Enjoy!”

Derek eyed the plate and looked up at Stiles with a smile. “Thanks.” Stiles nodded at him slowly.

There was something good about this. It felt normal, almost right to him. Stiles suddenly understood his mother’s joy and excited fervor when cooking and serving food to those she loved.

Watching Derek melt as he succumbed to the taste of the pie made Stiles’ heart blip crazily. He felt the smile on his face settle in as he sat back and just watched.

 

Derek helped him clean up and even washed the dishes. Stiles wrapped up the remaining stir fry for his dad’s lunch.  Derek dried his hands and leaned against the counter. “You always cook?”

Stiles shrugged. “Pretty much…Since my mom died…”  He looked up at the clock and startled. “Shit! It’s almost six thirty! The garage is closed!”

Derek eyed the clock and shook his head. He looked up at Stiles defeated face. “It’s ok. I’ll take you tomorrow after school…”He ducked his head. “If you want?”

Stiles looked at him and slowly smiled. “Yeah. Thanks…I’d like that.” Stiles suddenly felt nervous. As if he hadn’t just spent an hour and a half eating dinner, chatting and cleaning together with Derek. They stood looking at one another briefly before Derek cleared his throat.

“Uhm. I should probably get going…before your dad gets home.” Derek slowly picked up his jacket. He ducked his head in a nod. “Thanks…again…It’s been a long time since I had…” He blinked slowly. “A home cooked meal.”

Stiles’ heart fluttered painfully and he took a step towards Derek. “You don’t need..to..go…yet…I mean we could watch a movie…Or talk…” Stiles bit down on his lip hoping he hadn’t sounded too pleading.

Derek squeezed his jacket tightly making the leather squeak slightly. “I…don’t think…”

Stiles laughed suddenly making Derek startle. “Hold on! I forgot something! Come with me! I have something to show you!”

He grabbed Derek and pulled him up the stairs. Derek followed eyeing him nervously. When they entered Stiles’ room he felt the same painful lurch in his stomach he always had.

Stiles stopped at his desk and dug through an old wooden box. “I found something…I wanted to give you. I scanned it in and made a copy…Just wasn’t sure when I’d get a frame…But here…”

Stiles handed a newly printed photo into Derek’s hand. He looked down at it with a start. There was Stella and his mother laughing and embracing each other. Stella’s eyes seemed to pin him and he stood there paralyzed. He looked nervously up at Stiles, who was smiling softly at him.

“I never knew.” Stiles said leaning close to him to look down at the photo. His eyes catching Derek’s, “I never knew that they were friends…And that we…I guess… knew one another?” He chuckled.

Derek nodded quickly eyes wide looking at Stiles.

Stiles rubbed his shoulder. “Was I as annoying to you then as I am now?”

Derek swallowed his eyes searching Stiles’. He shook his head slowly at him. Stiles chuckled. “God! Derek it’s so weird. We knew each other…when we were kids?” Stiles laughed. “ I wish…I just wish I could remember that.” He smiled shyly at him. “I don’t understand why I can’t remember…I’m sorry…Sorry that I don’t.”

“Yeah me too…” Derek breathed softly.


	7. Chapter 7

Stiles pulled out his desk chair and sat slowly. His eyes up and Derek. “You…Uhm. Remembered me…and my mom?”

Derek closed his eyes tightly and gave him a short nod. “Yeah…I remembered.”

“Dude! Why…why not tell me! I mean…It could have changed a lot…I mean...” Stiles looked down at his hands.  “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

Stiles leaned forward and looked up at him, his eyes hurt and confused. “All this time…Why don’t I remember anything about it? Was I really young or something?” He startled.  “God! Please tell me you never changed my diapers!”

Derek couldn’t stop the chuckle. “No. No diapers.” He looked down at Stiles. “We were just… acquaintances…no big…” He swallowed swiftly. “No big deal. I wouldn’t expect you to remember.”

Stiles frowned. “I just feel…shitty…that I don’t remember…” He stood up. “I feel like I should…because…You.” He looked away and hung his head. He looked up slightly. “I feel bad that you are alone…and I’m sorry…”

He turned and grabbed Derek’s arm. “But…You aren’t alone ok? Derek you aren’t…people care about you. Want to be…friends with you. I want…”

Derek realized suddenly that they were eye to eye.

When had Stiles stopped being that kid he remembered? He was a man, his height…Standing face to face with him. Derek stepped closer before he realized he had done it.

This was the exact spot where he had last stood all those years ago. When he had allowed himself the one moment of release and had kissed Stiles.

He could hear Stiles heartbeat pounding before him. Stiles eyes widened slightly as he looked at him. For a minute it seemed something was tangible between them. Stiles eyes scanned down to Derek’s lips and back up nervously.

Derek sighed slowly, he closed his eyes and stepped away. 

Stiles blushed and looked away and then slowly sat back down at his desk turned away. “Sorry.” He mumbled. “I just care about you. I thought you should know it.”

Derek took a deep breath and nodded. “Stiles…I…know. Thank you.” Stiles turned to him with a slight shrug and gave him a lopsided grin and nod. “We ok?”

Derek nodded slowly. “I should get going…I’ll get you tomorrow?”

Stiles stood up and nodded again, pushing his hands deep into his pockets.

“Yeah. I have some research stuff to do anyway…”  He gave Derek a small wave.

 He bent down and pulled out an old looking book from beside his desk. The scent on it almost made Derek cry out. He turned back and eyed the book anxiously.

“What is that?” He stepped closer looking at Stiles and then the book with a worried frown.

“Uh…This…Just research stuff…I found.”

Derek grabbed it roughly from his hands, his eyes wide looking at Stiles. “This was my mother’s!” He hadn’t meant to let the growl out but it came unbidden from his throat. Stiles held the book firmly and tugged it back.

Stiles frowned at him. “It was _my_ mom’s actually…Let go! Your claws are out! What the hell is wrong with you!” Derek startled and released the book almost making Stiles fall backwards. 

“Your mom’s?” Derek whispered his eyes confused. Stiles shrugged slightly. “Seems she was a lot like me…Getting mixed up with…Werewolf stuff?” He looked at Derek nervously. “Did you not know?”

Derek stepped back. “Stiles you need to leave that alone.”

Stiles threw up his hands. “I told Lydia you’d say that! See! You think I’m incapable of doing anything without supervision!” He sat down and glared at Derek. “I was able to seal in the Kanima the night of the rave! I did that. Me!” He turned away from Derek’s wide eyes. “Even though no one noticed…”

Derek sighed and looked down. “Yes. You did. But this Stiles…It’s more than just having a ring of mountain ash….Your mother didn’t want…” He stepped towards him reaching out.

Stiles jumped up. “You did know! You knew she was involved? And never told me? What the fuck! Derek!”  He shoved at Derek, his face a mix of anger and sorrow.

Derek grabbed his arms tightly making Stiles drop the book with a heavy thud.

“Stiles…I…” He dropped his hands. “I kept a promise…” He lowered his head down. “That you’d stay safe. I’d keep you safe.” His eyes looked up with an almost pleading need, that made

Stiles swallow back his brewing retort.  “Just don’t… Get involved. Just trust me…Please?”

Stiles clamped his jaw tightly and averted his eyes. “I just want to know the truth. I was going to tell you…after I talked to Scott and Deaton…” He turned as a stray breeze rattled the blinds. The room seemed colder. Stiles shivered slightly.

Derek stiffened and frowned. “You were going to go to Scott? Like he’d know anything! And Deaton? “  Derek chuckled bleakly feeling a sudden unexplained rage at the thought of Stiles running to Scott. “How much did either of them trust you with their master plan…or me? Huh?” He clenched his jaw angrily.

Stiles’ back suddenly was up. “Oh? You didn’t like the fact that Scott actually thought for himself? He does do that…on occasion you know…. And how about you? Just come strolling in with Zombie Uncle and we are all supposed to think that’s ok? After he tried to get Scott to kill us all…after he used the freaking people of this town as his own personal chew toy? What’s your master plan Huh? Even have one? Or are you waiting for him to go all psycho again?”

Derek stepped closer his eyes flashing. “I know what I’m doing! I need to keep an eye on him. I can handle him. Alone…myself!”

Stiles threw his hands up in exasperation. “Oh! Right the lone wolf. He who knows best. Needs no one. Trusts no one. Yeah. That works out swell for you time and time again, hasn’t it!”

“Stop it Stiles.” Derek growled. The blinds rattled again as the wind outside picked up.

“No I won’t! You think because you are the “Alpha” we all need to follow whatever you say…But I don’t Derek…I’m not…”

 Derek’s eyes flashed at him.“Don’t say you aren’t part of my pack Stiles…or I swear!”

“What? You’ll do what? Slam me up into the wall? Hate me more than you already do! Think I’m an even bigger loser?” Stiles held his head up and gripped his fists tightly. His eyes almost daring Derek to do something.

He had no idea why he was saying these things. Stiles slowly composed himself and took a deep breath looking away. When he looked up, Derek was glaring angrily at him. He could see his muscles clenching and unclenching in his arms.

“If you really think all that then you are really an idiot!” Derek snarled at him.

Stiles sighed and hung his head in defeat. “I’m tired of being so weak Derek. Being afraid.” He let it out like a whisper. Derek blinked at him.

“Stiles.” He cautiously stepped towards him, hand almost reaching out.

“Derek…I’m sorry if you aren’t happy about this…but…”

Stiles looked at him with a fierce determination. “This is mine. I will use it…Learn from it…Protect those I love…whether you want me to or not. And even though…we are… friends…I don’t have to do whatever you tell me…”

Stiles sat back down and picked up the book.  “You can go now. I have work to do.”

Derek stepped back as if slapped. He shook his head slightly. He could see that Stiles was resolute. He looked down at the book tempted to tear it from his hands, but pulled back slowly.   

“I’ll go then…” He looked back but Stiles’ eyes were fixed on the pages before him. It was only after he shut the door that Stiles looked up with a sad and confused frown.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Why the hell do we have to go to Deaton’s now?” Scott asked pulling the wheel to make the intersection. “And in such a freaking hurry!”

“First you are totally in no position for griping at me…Mr. Let’s Ditch my best friend when I had promised to help him…and secondly…Just hurry.”

Scott shook his head and sped up to the Clinic.

Once they parked the car Stiles grabbed his bags and got out quickly. “Listen I need you to stay here and keep an eye out for Derek.”

Scot dropped his mouth. “Wha? Why?”

“I have a feeling he might be coming to talk to Alan and I’m trying to get here first.”

“Did something happen?” Scott looked nervously at him. “You know something?”

“No this isn’t anything…It’s more a me and Derek thing.”

Scott furrowed his brows and cocked his head. “A you and Derek thing? What the hell is that?”

Stiles frowned. “Just him being all bossy…and telling me not to do something…”

Scott chuckled and cut him off. “And you not listening…of course.”

“Right! Now you get it….So stay put and call me if you see the creeper Camaro.”

Scott shook his head again. “He’ll smell me…and you…you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. But I’ll still have a chance to talk to Alan…Before he ruins everything.”

“Ruins what? Stiles what are you doing?”

“Trust me. It’s fine.”

Scott grumbled and took out his phone. Stiles eyed him. “And no texting Alison! You need to stay focused!” Scott guiltily put down his phone.

“Just hurry up!” He smirked.

 

The lights were still on but the front was locked. Stiles crept around the back and using Scott’s keys opened the utility door.  The last time he had come in this way he had had a bleeding half dead Derek draped over his shoulder.

A small twinge of guilt crept through him. He didn’t want to argue with Derek. He still didn’t understand what had happened.

One minute they were eye to eye in what Stiles thought was going to be his first kiss and then…Then he had felt such anger, and bitterness towards him.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He closed the door softly and stepped over the stacks of cat litter and feed to the hallway. There was a light on ahead and he could hear voices speaking low.

Stiles grit his teeth as he recognized the voices. Deaton and Derek. Damn it he was too late.

“I told you Derek it was only a matter of time.” Alan sat back and regarded the pacing form of Derek with a half smile.

“You shouldn’t have gotten him involved with that whole Mountain Ash idea!” Derek growled.

“Derek, the boy has gifts…like his mother. Those can’t be erased so easily.” Alan rubbed his eyes tiredly. “What is it you think I can do?”

“Talk to him! He’ll come to you…Want you to teach him. Explain to him how dangerous it is…”Derek looked at him pleadingly.

Alan sighed. “Derek.  I can’t change what fate has decreed. If I’m to teach him then I shall, but Corvin would be the better bet…He was after all Stella’s teacher. Last I heard he was up north…but I could call him.”

“No!” Derek snarled and lunged at Alan, scattering the papers and books off the desk and onto the floor.

Alan sat back slightly and raised his eyes to Derek.

“Don’t act foolishly Derek. Control yourself. You are on my turf here. I’m not easily intimidated.” His voice was silky smooth and quietly dangerous.

Derek deflated and leaned tiredly against the desk.

He looked up at Alan, his eyes wet and frightened. “You don’t understand…I can’t lose him…I can’t.”

Alan stood and walked to him and cautiously rubbed his shoulder.

“Derek. It’s not a weakness to care. But it is a weakness to think you can do this all alone. You have kept your word. You have protected him.”

Derek looked up at him with a frown and a laugh. “He’s the one who’s saved my life more than I’ve saved his…”

Deaton chuckled. “See? He knows…despite what you did. It’s in him. It’s still there. But you have done this together…You could do this…”

Derek stood up abruptly. “I could do it again! I could…and then he’d forget me…Everything.”

Deaton frowned. “You’d do that to him? To yourself? All over again?”

“If it keeps him safe! Yes!” Derek snapped.

 Deaton eyed him “Strip him of everything else? What about Scott and Lydia? You prepared to do to them what you did to Stiles? Perhaps remove even more than those memories…Take away his mother’s smile? His father’s name?”

Deaton sat against the desk ducking his head to look at him. “Would you really do that to someone you claim to love so much?”

Derek groaned and shook his head. “No.” He whispered.

“You need to help him…no more lies…Take him to Corvin. Be with him. Finally let the truth come out.”

Derek startled. “I couldn’t…ever…He’d…” Derek slumped back down. “he’d never forgive me.”

Alan looked up quickly and frowned. Derek turned quickly towards the door.

“What wouldn’t I forgive Derek?” He had tears brimming in his eyes. “What the fuck did you do to me!”


	8. Chapter 8

Derek took a stumbling step towards him, eyes wide with worry and what Stiles suspected was guilt. Stiles held up his hand to stop him and repeated. “What did _you_ …do…to me?”

Stiles phone beeped and he looked down at Scott’s text. “I can smell Derek!” Stiles rolled his eyes and typed back. “No shit!”

He looked at Deaton. “So you in on this little secret too? Anyone else I should add to my  ‘ I’m so pissed off right now I want to borrow a kanima’ list?”

The quick steps of Scott running down the hall made Derek snarl. “You brought him with you!”

“I trust Scott…I can depend on him to tell me everything…” Scott skidded to a halt and eyed everyone in the room.

“Everything… ok?” He furrowed his brow at the strange scent of anger and sadness pouring off Derek. “Something happen?”

Stiles turned to him and threw his hands up in anger.

“Yeah!  Mr. Alpha has done something to me…Something that Alan knew about …that has to do with my… mom! And they’re in here talking about just…doing it again…to me, like I don’t have  a fucking say in anything …like I’m some fucking afterthought!” Stiles turned back to stare at Derek, the hurt and betrayal heavy and clear in his eyes.

Derek looked down and clenched his jaw. “Stiles we can discuss this alone…”

Scott stepped in front of Stiles looking at him with concern, and then he turned angrily at Derek. “What the hell did you do?” He felt his hackles rise. Derek responded in kind, his eyes flaring red.

“Stay out of this!” He growled.

“Like hell I will.” He pushed Stiles back causing him to stumble into the hallway; and then transformed his claws and fangs growing.

Derek’s eyes widened as soon as he saw Scott push Stiles back. “Don’t touch him!” He roared and leapt at Scott.

Stiles staggered to his feet and rushed to grab at Scott or Derek, but Alan grabbed him out of the way.  “Are you totally insane?” He smirked at Stiles.” Don’t you know never to get between two fighting animals?”

Derek and Scott rolled, biting and punching each other across the room. Deaton gave a heavy sigh as his lamp crashed, and then he lifted his hands.

“Enough!” Even though he whispered it, the sound was like a thunderclap in Stiles’ head and he ducked down and covered his ears.

“Holy! God!” he yelped. Derek and Scott had a far worse reaction and were writhing on the floor in agony, their hands pressed tightly over their ears.

“Stand up and stop this nonsense now!” Deaton said again in his soft and commanding voice.

Derek and Scott looked at one another and got up slowly. Alan stepped between them and frowned. “You got blood all over my rug!” He took in a calming breath and eyed them both. They both dropped their eyes sheepishly.

“He started it.” Scott mumbled.

Derek sneered at him. “Big baby.”

“Uhm! Hello! Me here! My problem!”  Stiles stepped up to Derek. “What did you do to me…and the truth. Now.”

Derek swept his eyes slowly over Stiles’ face. “Stiles it’s…complicated.”

Stiles shook his head. “Complicated how?” He looked directly at Derek’s eyes.

“I had to…do it.” Derek’s voice was low, almost pleading. He eyed Scott and ground his teeth together. “Can’t we just talk…alone?” His eyes held Stiles.

Stiles could see the sorrow in them, the defeat. Stiles felt his heart skip painfully, and his anger diminish looking at Derek looking so helpless and afraid.

Stiles turned to Scott. “Could you and Alan…Just…for a minute?”

Alan nodded and swiftly took Scott arm. “Come on you can go gather up the cleaning supplies you need.”

Scott frowned at him. “Cleaning supplies I need? For what?”

“For the mess you made in my office.”

Scott gaped. “But Derek!”

Alan gave him a smile. “He doesn’t work for me…You do.”

* * *

 

Once the door was closed Stiles turned back to Derek. Derek’s eyes turned slowly down to the floor. He sank down slowly into a chair and rubbed his hands together, his eyes unfocused on them.

“The first time I met you…” He looked up at Stiles with a far off look. “You and your mom were visiting my mom. She wanted help to create some gardens and she and your mom met at the Garden Center…The funny thing was they had known each other years before…”

He looked up at Stiles.  “ She was also the only other woman beside my mother that I loved… I spent almost every spare time I had in the library. She had become something of a surrogate to me.”

He chuckled. “I used to imagine her as my mother. A normal human mother and use to wonder what that would be like…”

Stiles swallowed swiftly. “And me?”

Derek smiled softly. “Like I said you came with her…Laura ditched you, sent you off to find me…And you did.”

His eyes on Stiles. “You found me high up in a pine tree. Instead of being smart and just calling to me…You started climbing up. Talking all the time.” Derek paused when he saw Stiles chuckle and look away.

“You fell…and I caught you.”

“and I figured you were a werewolf?”

“No. That came years later…after…”

“Ok. You are killing me with these cliffhangers! Just. Tell me.” Derek stood and began to pace.

“After…Your mom got sick…I found out she was an advisor…Like Alan. She asked me to protect you…watch after you…There were hunters and other things she was afraid of…”

“But that…That’s not it!  That’s not what you and Deaton were talking about! I know you said that…You wanted to protect me. I get that.” Stiles dropped his head into his hands. “Why were you so…determined not to tell me….Wait?”

Stiles looked up at him eyes wide. “Alan said… couldn’t be erased… easily…” The woodcut image of the wolf standing over the boy. The tears on his face, blood at his neck, flashed into his mind. Stiles gasped “My memories?” Derek wouldn’t look at him. Stiles took two steps and tugged Derek to his feet. His eyes searching his face desperately. “Derek? You clawed my neck…took my memories? Why?”

Derek groaned and held Stiles arms. “To keep you safe. Stiles. Please believe me. It was to keep you safe.” He couldn’t stop his hands holding Stiles, his thumbs rubbing gently. His breath caught in his throat. “Please. I just wanted to keep you safe.”

Stiles looked at him then at the hands holding him with a surprising gentleness. “I just can’t understand why? Derek why not just tell me. What were you afraid of happening I’d tell about the werewolves…your family? What was so important that you needed me to forget?” Stiles held his face and forced him to look at him.

Derek eyes snapped up at him. “Me! Us! I needed you to forget us! Be free to live. Be free to be safe and happy! Without being in danger…Without…all this…To fall in love with someone…else…”

Stiles staggered back. Eyes wide. “What are you saying? Love…with someone…else?”

“Stiles…”

“All this time?  Every one of those thoughts I had?” Stiles laughed darkly and stepped away. “Feeling like I was going crazy…Every time I was near you?  What I was feeling…And you knew? You...”

“Derek it’s time to stop all this.” Deaton and Scott stood motionless in the door. “Give him back his memories …”

Scott’s eyes went wide. “What the hell do you mean? His memories? How…”

Deaton held up his hand and stopped him. “Derek only you can do this.”

Derek grit his teeth and nodded. Then with a lightning quick grasp to Stiles, he pulled him close. His claws embedded into his neck.

 

* * *

 

Stiles felt the sharp pain lashing through his body. He felt a heat behind his closed eyes build up. When he opened them the world was spinning out of control.  Images like a nonstop projector were dancing before him.  Young Derek lifting him up to climb the pine tree. Derek squatting down before him, cradling his foot tenderly. Racing through the forest clinging to his back laughing uncontrollably. 

 Esmee and his mother laughing and holding each other by a garden in the sunlight. Curled up on his bed reading comics.

 Sobbing into his chest beside his mother’s grave. A hand pressed to his heart like an electric bolt full of love and caring. Derek curled up beside him as he slept. A kiss soft and honest and real.

Stiles crumbled to his knees under the weight of it all. He gasped and tried to stand.

 

Scott rushed to him eyes worried and concerned. “Dude?”

Stiles pushed him away.

Slowly he looked up at Derek. “You. You. Took all that from me.” He felt the tears like blood seeping from his eyes.

“You took all of that from me.” His voice broke. “And then left me alone!”

“Stiles!” Derek reached for him, his lip trembling.

“I loved you! Really…Really loved you.” Stiles breath caught in a sob. “And you did that to me?”

Derek groaned softly, his own eyes welling with tears. “You have to understand…The hunters…and Laura wanted…”

Stiles stood up rigidly looking down. “I…I never want to see you again…You got that…”

He looked up at Derek and felt a sharp pain in his chest. He shook his head as he realized what it was.

A broken heart.

“Never again.”


	9. Chapter 9

Derek schooled his face as best he could to hide the twist to his guts that Stiles words caused him.  Scott and Deaton both had the decency to look away from him and Stiles.

Pulling his shoulders back he pressed his lips together tightly and nodded slowly.

“Then…This is…goodbye.”

He pulled on his jacket and pushed quickly past Stiles. He stopped and looked at Scott, then turned slightly to look back at Stiles. “Keep him safe.” He said sadly.

 Scott nodded slowly, looking at him as if he didn’t recognize this person before him. “I…I will.” Without realizing it Scott took his arm. “Derek? You…” Derek pulled away and ducked his head down. “Don’t Scott…just don’t.”  He left quietly closing the door behind him.

Scott turned to Alan and raised his eyebrows. “What the hell just happened?”

Deaton closed his eyes and gave a small sad smirk. “The truth. And sometimes for its best intentions…it can be painful.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles stumbled into his bedroom and threw his jacket angrily at the wall. He stood there shaking with a mix of rage and sorrow that he had never felt before. He hadn’t said a word to Scott on the ride back. Scott kept throwing him his concerned puppy dog face, but it only made Stiles angrier.

“Don’t worry about me!” He had snapped. “I’m used to being treated like shit by those I consider my friends. It’s almost comforting…keeps me  grounded.”

“Stiles! I…” Scott pulled the car into the driveway and looked at him. “I’m sorry.”

Stiles gave him a curt nod and rushed from the car.

“You want me to come in and we can talk?” Scott scrambled out of the car to follow him.

Stiles turned and shook his head slowly. “Nah…I’m fine…well…I will be…” He took a slow breath in. “Yeah. Fine.”

 

He let the hot water pour over him washing away the heaviness and betrayal. His tears slowly mixing with the water to slide down the drain. He pressed his head against the cool tile.

How the hell was this his world?

 One minute he was on cloud nine. Derek and him sitting together eating, laughing…talking. The next he’s being mind raped and finding out that the person he had hoped could be something to him…something more…had been. He had loved him, cared for him…wanted him.

Stiles could still feel the kiss from his memory hot and new on his lips. How many nights had he dreamt of that? Longed for that moment. It had belonged to him! But  Derek had taken it away from him, without his knowing, without his consent, leaving him alone, sad and confused all these years.

He shut of the water and got dressed for bed.

Before climbing in he made sure that his window was locked securely. He pulled down the blinds and shut off the lights.

Pulling the covers over his head he allowed himself the right to cry again.

But it would be the last time, he promised himself. He wasn’t going to let Derek take anything else from him ever again.

 

* * *

 

Lydia honed in on him the minute class was dismissed. She rushed to catch up with him and fell into step next to him. Her eyes flashing over to glance at him. Stiles gripped the strap on his bookbag and kept his eyes forward.

“You look like hell.” She mumbled. “Were you up researching all night again?”

Stiles ducked his head and shook it slowly. He knew he looked tired, he felt drained and battered. All night waves of anger and sorrow kept coursing through him. Half the time it didn’t even seem like his own.

At one point in the night he found himself pacing aimless around his room like a caged animal.

“Tough night. Couldn’t sleep.” He whispered. She reached out a hand to his arm and gently turned him to face her.

“What happened?” Her eyes scanned him with her unerring analysis. He could feel her tallying and evaluating his every gesture, eye blink and breath. “Did you get into a fight with someone…Scott? Did something happen?”

He blew out a breath and blinked up at her. “No…Derek.”

She pressed her lips and nodded. “Well?”

“Listen. It’s ok now. It’s over…we are over.”

“You… are over? What does that mean? Did you and…” She frowned at him.

He felt the heat creep up his neck and shook his head again with a dark chuckle. “No. Not like that. Not like that.”

She jerked her head back and squinted. “Then like what?”

“It’s complicated. It’s really over so…Don’t worry…about me.” Stiles patted her arm. “I’m good. Have a meeting with Morrell so…got to go…” He turned and headed down the hallway. Lydia stood watching him retreat.

Even if she hadn’t seen the sadness etched in his eyes, she would have been able to identify the sorrow from the way his body moved. Stiles was hurting and she would be damned if anyone thought they could get away with that.

 Especially Derek Hale. She needed to make sure of that.

* * *

 

Stiles unloaded his bag on the floor and sat back in the chair. Ms. Morell came in with her usual sly smile and eyed him briefly. “You ready to review those college applications?”  Stiles nodded slightly.

“You seem…not yourself Stiles. May I ask why?” She slipped into her seat across from him. Her dark eyes fixed on him.

“Just the usual teenage angst, Strum and Drang…kind of thing...” he smiled down at his hands.

She pursed her lips and nodded. “Well isn’t it good thing I am a counselor then? Let’s hear it.”

“No. I’m ok. Really…Let’s plot out my future education. Get these ducks in a row.”

 He reached over  casually and picked up the brochures she had placed before him.

He  flipped through them slowly. “Have any that might be… a bit further away?” He looked up at her and caught her still staring at him.

She smirked and got up to her file cabinet. She opened it slowly.

“I had thought...since our last discussion you had wanted to stay close by…For your father?”

Stiles shrugged slightly. “Just exploring my options.”

Morell leaned her arm against the drawer. “And how far away should we be ‘exploring’?”

Stiles looked up. “New York? Connecticut?” He shrugged.

 Morrell’s eyes widened. “Clear across the country? That _is_ a bit further…” she smirked and pulled out a few more brochures and applications.

“Here.” She handed them to him and leaned against the desk looking down at him.  

Stiles scanned them, then leaned back to look at her. “You aren’t going to let this go…are you?”

She smiled and crossed her arms.

“Obviously something has happened and I want to help you. If you’ll let me.”  She smiled again. “Does this have to do with what happened with Matt?”

Stiles shook his head. “No…Just. A problem with a friend. Well not really a friend…” he rubbed his face. “ A…kind of friend…”

Morell nodded and moved back to her seat. “And…this friend and you had…a disagreement?”

Stiles crumpled the brochures slowly. “More of a…issue of trust.”

“I see.”

“He wanted something…different for me. And I wanted him to be…” Stiles bit his lip. “Listen. It’s over. I ended the…friendship…He isn’t going to be a part of my life anymore…so…Like you said “when you are going through hell…keep going’.”

He tried to smile at her but it caught as a grimace on his face.

She arched an eyebrow at him. “And does this ‘friend’ know you are going through hell?”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “He…” Stiles shrugged. “He does…but, he wants to control me…thinks I need his protection. Doesn’t think I can handle this…”

“Sounds a bit possessive.” She leaned back eyeing him.

“Well, he sees me as being weak…too young, maybe….He doesn’t want me getting hurt…” Stiles fumbled with his sleeve.

“So this friend…He’s worried that something might cause you problems? Have you had any problems Stiles that would make him think this? Trouble with anyone here at school?”

Stiles looked away at the window. “No….No.It’s fine.”

Morrell followed his gaze. “Have you and he…been intimate?”

Stiles startled and looked back at her. “What?”

“Stiles. Have you and he been together? It sounds to me that you both have some feelings that might blur the friendship lines. I’m only asking for clarity’s sake.”

Stiles eyes widened slightly and he shook his head slowly.  Morrell saw the faint flush run up his cheeks.

“Is it a possibility?”

Stiles lowered his head and murmured. “Not anymore…”

Morrell sighed and looked down. “Stiles. Is that what happened? You and he are confused by these feelings? You know that sexuality is a very fluid thing…”

Stiles shook his head angrily. “It’s not just that. It’s confusing and complicated. And he doesn’t talk…He growls and snarls and thinks he knows best and…doesn’t trust me.”

 Her eyes widened slightly as she listened to his sudden outburst. “Sounds like your friend would benefit from some anger management sessions.  He needs to learn how to communicate better, maybe learn to control his impulses.” She smiled.

“Yeah! Right! Like I can see Der… him doing that!”

“Would it help if we all spoke together?…I’d be happy to facilitate the session.”

Stiles chuckled darkly. “He…uhm. Doesn’t go to here…”

Morrell nodded slightly and squinted again looking at Stiles. “So how can I help you move forward from this then?”

Stiles smirked and waved the brochures slightly at her. “Just keep going…Right?”

Ms.Morrell nodded slightly and clasped her hands leaning forward. “That sounds like a plan. But Stiles if you just keep going…how do you know you won’t just pass something by? Sometimes as you walk through hell there are things you are meant to learn, experience…So that you won’t have to go through it again.”

Stiles sat back and looked up and the ceiling. “I just want…normal. Regular! Fall in love…Be loved…feel whole…feel real.”

“What part of you doesn’t feel real?”

Stiles groaned. “I didn’t mean that…”

“But you said it.” Ms. Morrell sat back.

Stiles picked up his bag. “Listen. I’ll look over these. Get back to you.”

“Stiles! Sit down and talk to me.” Her voice held a new tone that startled Stiles. She smiled at him with an embarrassed twinge.

He shuffled nervously on his feet looking at her eyes that seemed different, more dark and focused than he had ever seen before.

“I agree with you. You should be free to feel ‘real’. So I’m going to do something that I normally wouldn’t do…Interfere.” She pressed her lips together. “ We are each given our paths…our roles. I think it’s time you discovered yours.”

“What do you mean?” Stiles felt a quavering fear inching up his spine. She stood and regarded him slowly.

“It’s time you discovered what you are capable of…And if Alan had his way it would be nurse maid to werewolves…”

Stiles jumped back in shock. “What! What did you just say?

She frowned at him. “Don’t play stupid with me Stiles. Alan isn’t the only ‘Advisor’ in this area.”

Stiles eyes widened. “You…You know?”

Morrell chuckled. “I know.” She pulled out her phone and opened it up eyes on Stiles. “And now you need to know as well.” She pulled out a pad and wrote down some information.

She handed it to Stiles. Stiles stood there speechless. She waved the paper at him

“Take it.”

He shakily took the paper and looked at the address and phone number written on it.

“Dr.  Lugh Corvin?”

Ms. Morrell took a deep breath. “He was your mother’s teacher.”

Stiles mouth gaped open.

Ms. Morrell stepped up to him eyes fierce and fixed. “There needs to be balance Stiles. And you…You will be that.”


	10. Chapter 10

Stiles unfolded the paper and smoothed it out on his desk. He sat back and rubbed his eyes tiredly.  Cautiously he dialed the number for the tenth time since getting home, his legs shaking nervously as he waited. After the twelfth ring he hung up scowling. This was crazy…stupid. He was going to what? Ask this total stranger to help him? Help him do what?  Ms. Morrell had said he was to be the balance, but the balance for what exactly? 

Stiles was sick as shit of everyone talking in cryptic code. Couldn’t anyone just speak plainly? Honestly? He had fought the urge to go talk with Deaton and ask him; but the anger he associated with Derek still lingered on Deaton. After all, he obviously knew what Derek had done, had allowed him to continue the farce, and even though he had told Derek to undo the memory whammy, all this time he had known and kept silent.

Stiles realized he couldn’t trust anyone other than his father, Scott and Lydia. And they were definitely not people he wanted to discuss this new nugget of crazy with.

He slumped back against his chair and closed his eyes thinking.  Lydia and he had translated most of his mother’s book. He would go through it again and see if he had missed something about balance.  He pulled the printed papers from his desk drawer and began to flip through them. A sudden movement behind him made him startle, he turned to see Peter leaning against his door way.

Stiles jerked backwards away from the desk and nearly screamed. “What are you doing here!”

Peter smirked and held up his hands in a placating manner. “Calm down Stiles. Jeez, you’ll give yourself a heart attack.” He gestured over his shoulder. “You left the front door opened…I did knock.”

Stiles furrowed his brow at him and grumbled. “Yeah, right.”

“Well since Daddy Lawman isn’t home I figured this would be the best chance for us to talk.”

Stiles pushed his chair back further, looking for a clear exit should the need arise. “Yeah? And what do we need to talk about?  Laundry tips to help get the ‘I was dead for a few months’ smell off your clothes?”

Peter chuckled. “You still make me laugh Stiles.” Peter’s eyes glimmered. “Even though you are sitting there with your heart hammering like a rabbit’s…You are brave.”His eyes scanned stiles appraisingly. Peter walked over and sat on the edge of his bed and regarded him thoughtfully.  “Quite impressive, actually. I still think you would have made an awesome member of my pack…”

“Yeah, well…It’s not your pack anymore is it! Derek…”

Peter laughed. “Ah. Now there it is….Derek.” Peter leaned closer to him. “You smell like him. He smells like you…Just what is going on with the two of you? “

Stiles grit his teeth and looked away. “There is nothing going on between Derek and me. So goodbye. I have work to do.” Stiles tried to nonchalantly turn away, but Peter reached over and pulled his chair quickly to him.

He looked at Stiles, his eyes scanning over his face.

“There is something…And despite what you may or may not think…I do care for him.”

Stiles huffed out a breath. “Yeah…Cared enough to almost kill him twice…Kill Laura…”

Peter snarled, his teeth snapping. “You don’t know everything Stiles. I…” he composed himself and dropped his eyes. “I wasn’t…wasn’t in my right mind…”

Stiles heart was pounding through his chest. He licked his lips nervously watching Peter’s fangs receded.  “Yeah. I know. I had a front row ticket! And how do I know you’re in your right mind now?”

Peter leaned back and smiled at him. “Faith…Trust? Something it seems no one around here has much of.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and nervously ran his hand over his head. “Just why are you here!”

Peter folded his hands in his lap. “Because Lydia asked me…” Stiles dropped his mouth in shock.

“Yes. I was quite amazed she did too…After all…I did act quite deplorably to her…She still is a bit ‘squirrelly’ around me. She must love you a lot to seek me out…but I have a soft spot for our little red headed anomaly.  She’s worried about you and said something occurred with Derek…And since he refuses to talk to anyone and is being his usual brooding, overdramatic self….I came to point B…which is you.”

Stiles pushed his chair away and stood up, turning to his desk. “It was a last straw scenario…I’m…Derek and I are….It’s a private thing…”Stiles kept his eyes averted.

Peter’s eyebrows flashed up and he smirked. “Oooh.  Private? Sounds naughty? Derek finally process the alluring scents you are always giving off around him?”

“Shut up!” Stiles turned on him.

Peter chuckled again. “Touchy!” he looked down with a smirk. “So…That’s what this is all about? Unrequited love…Sexuality confusion…” he frowned. “Hhm. Not as exciting as I thought it was going to be…Anyhow. Lydia was concerned. And I…owe her…so.”

He slapped his leg and stood up. His eyes scanning the papers on the desk. “I’ll leave you to your…research….”

A piece of paper floated to the ground. His hand picked up the scrap of paper with Dr. Corvin’s information.  He eyed it and handed it to Stiles with a smile.  “You really should invest in some file cabinets…Less clutter.”

He placed the paper on the desk with a pat. “I’ll let Lydia know what’s what…”

He turned to leave. Stiles asked quickly. “Derek…he doing ok?”

Peter turned with a slight smile. “He’s been in his room for days. Doing his rigorous exercise routines. Not eating. Listening to his melodramatic music mixes and snarling at anyone who comes near him. Poor Isaac is whining continually at his door.”

“Oh.” Stiles frowned softly.

“Anyway. Like you said. It’s done. Over. Right? It’s not like Derek hasn’t gotten over worse things… After all…he has so many friends to depend on for comfort and understanding…I’m sure he’ll bounce right back…Too bad though…I think you two would have made an adorable couple…Ciao.” He gave Stiles a saucy wink and left.

 

Stiles slumped back into the chair. He heard the door downstairs close. “Dammit.” He mumbled. He rubbed his face with his hands. Why did ask about him! Now all he could see were those damn sad eyes looking back at him.

He rubbed his chest softly feeling the dull burning ache that always seemed to appear whenever he thought of Derek.

Maybe he should…Call him? Talk to him again…He picked up his phone scrolling down to Derek’s number. He paused his finger over it taking a deep breath. 

What would he say? “It’s ok you stole my memories…You had my safety in mind…Best intentions and all that…” He lowered the phone to his lap and looked at the number.

Suddenly his phone rang, making him jerk back in surprise. He looked at the screen which stated only ‘blocked Number’. He cautiously answered.

“Hello?”

“Are you the individual whose been ringing me nonstop for the past few hours?”

Stiles swallowed nervously. “Uhmm. Who is this?”

“Who were you calling?” came the gruff response.

“Dr. Lugh Corvin?” Stiles lifted the paper to look at it.

“And to whom do I owe the pleasure.” Came the voice, Stiles could detect a slight brogue. “Are you a student at the university? I don’t appreciate students calling me on my private line.”

“No. No. I…I’m Stiles Stilinski…I was given your number…You knew my mom.” Stiles bit his lip waiting.

“Who? Stiles? Stiles what?”

“Stilinksi. Stiles Stilinski…You uhm. Knew my mom…Stella Stilinski…”

The phone went silent, for a moment Stiles thought that it had disconnected. “Hello? You still there?”

He heard a low exhale of breath. “You are Stella’s son? What did you say your name was?”

“Uhmm. Stiles…Well it’s my nickname…”

“What was your mother’s middle name?”

“Uhmm. Sophia?”

“What was her favorite flower?”

“Lilies…”

“Her favorite herb?”

Stiles rubbed his head furiously. “Uhmm…Lavender?”

“Nope. Wrong. It was Artemisia also called wormwood. You sure you are Stella’s son?”

Stiles chuckled softly. “Yes. I am.”

“Prove it. What device did she etch on her pages?”

Stiles jerked opening the old book next to him. His finger traced the triskalion softly.

“A Triskalion.”

He heard a grumble and a slight moan. “Why? What did it stand for to her?”

Stiles threw his hands up. “I don’t know! She died before she ever even told me about all this shit! I didn’t even realize she was aware of werewolves, magic…spells! It’s like I woke up and I’m in the freaking twilight zone. My mother was a librarian…who loved gardening, cooking, singing and telling me bedtime stories!”

“Whoa son. Take a breath. Where are you? Still in Beacon Hills?”

Stiles jerked back. “Yeah…Still. Here.”

“Ok. Well what is it you wanted?”

“The truth? To learn…from you. Just want answers…” He let the last words slip out unexpectedly.

The phone went silent again. Finally he heard Corvin sigh. “Fine. You’ll need to come here.”

“Uhmm. I don’t think I’ll be able to get off from school…and my dad…”

Corvin chuckled slightly. “how is John? God I loved that guy. Salt of the earth. Salt of the earth he is.”

“You knew my dad?”

“Sonny boy I know everything. Now leave the logistics to me. I have my ways, but you must be sure. Sure, that this is what you want…once you start you cannot turn back.”

Stiles felt a cold chill snake down his neck. He shivered and nodded. “It is…I do.”

Corvin chuckled.  “They all say that. Oh. Well. As you will. Ok, well I’ll be seeing you soon. You’ll need to wait for my invitation…so in about a day or so. Get packing. You have the address?”

“Yes. I have it here.”

“Good. Good. Oh and FYI your mother’s trisaklion was Love, Trust and Forgiveness. Oh…And bring your boyfriend…the new Alpha Werewolf… I think he should be here as well.”

Click.

“What! Wait! I don’t have a…” Stiles sat back and looked down at the phone. What the fuck had he just gotten himself into? How the hell did his life somehow become a television show that everyone was tuning into?

 

* * *

 

Three days later John entered his room with a huge grin. Stiles looked up and smiled at him.

“You look happy!” He frowned. “did you find the hidden candy bars!”

John laughed and handed him a letter. “No. But look what just came for you!”

Stiles took the thick cream colored envelope and opened it.

“An invitation to Berkeley College! Early admittance! And look here see…” John was hoping on his toes with excitement.  It’s from the Dean!”

He looked down at Stiles with a teray eyed pride. “I didn’t know you had even sent in an application!”

Stiles eyes widened. ‘Uh. Yeah. Just checking them out…for options.” He frowned as he read the letter. “It’s an invitation to audit classes for a week? Free of charge? Room and board…”

John squealed happily. “Stiles! I am so proud of you! I mean not even half way through Junior year and already you have colleges scouting you! I mean…Wow!”

He grabbed Stiles up into a hug. “I’m so proud.”

Stiles patted his father’s back gently. ‘Yeah. Proud. But…I’d miss school. That…that ok with you?”

John was looking down at the letter with a glazed look. “I already spoke to Ms. Morrell. She said it could be an excused absence…Just have to be sure to make up missed work…But God! Stiles how awesome is this.”

Stiles stomach was churning with guilt as he looked at his father. “ It’s pretty awesome.”

“Ok. I’m going to call for train tickets…or would you rather take a bus?”

“Could I drive? I mean. Then I’d have a car to check out the area…” He squinted seeing how this new bump in the road would smooth out.

John looked up at him nervously. “It’s a long trip Stiles. I don’t know.”

“What if…I took someone with me…Asked someone to tag along…You know who could help take turns driving…”

John furrowed his brows thoughtfully. “I can take time off…We could go together.”

“No. No dad the department needs you now…Especially after Matt…” He hated himself for playing that card. He saw his father’s shoulders slump.

“Yeah. You’re right. It’s probably not the best time…” He looked up at Stiles and wagged his finger at him. “But not Scott! Melissa said he’s barely passing…he can’t miss any school.”

Stiles nodded slowly. ‘I’ll think about who then…And dad?”

John nodded. “Yeah, buddy?”

“Thanks for letting me go…and for trusting me.”

John smiled again at him and pulled him tightly into a hug. “I love you.”

Stiles leaned his head against his dad and smiled. “I love you too. More than anything.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I can’t go with you Stiles. I wish I could but I can’t!” Lydia loaded her books into her locker. She lowered her voice. “If he told you to bring Derek…then it should be him…”

Stiles banged his head softly against the locker. “I can’t…can’t talk to him…Not right now.”

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Obviously he is connected in all of this. Maybe this is the chance for you to get…I don’t know…closure.”

“Yeah but an eight hour drive…alone…is a bit too much right now. I told you what he did…What he kept from me…Being all in my head…mucking about with my thoughts, my memories…It’s hard to move away from.”

Lydia scowled at him and slammed her locker. “Uhm. Hello! I had some creepy psycho running amuck in my brain for months. Months! Stiles! Don’t think I don’t understand how you are feeling! At least you were in control of yourself.” She looked down eyes closed tight. “I was nothing more than a puppet that Peter was playing with…physically…emotionally…”

Stiles rubbed her arm softly. Her bright green eyes flashed up at him. “At least Derek did what he did because he cared…cared for you, your safety…”

Stiles sighed and nodded slowly. “I know.” He breathed softly.

“Don’t waste this opportunity, Stiles. It’s your only chance to put it behind you…Or move forward.” She composed herself and gave her hair a graceful flip. “Besides he’ll keep you safe…I wouldn’t want you heading off without someone who can protect you. And we both know that Derek will do whatever he has to, to keep you safe.”

 

* * *

 

Biting the bullet, Stiles chose the most mature and straightforward means to contact Derek he could think of…he texted him.

“I need you to come with me for a week to meet an old friend of my mother, who may or may not be teaching me magic. I’m leaving tomorrow. So can you come?”

He fell backwards on his bed listening to the sudden rise in his heartbeat. The phone against his chest hummed a response.

“Ok.”

Stiles shook his head slowly as he read it, but a slight smile snaked its way across his lips. Now all he had to do was convince his father that Derek was the best bet as chaperone.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the gods of copyright infringement not hunt me down and kill me. Song "Ghost" by The Indigo Girls. If you are feeling particularly brave play it while you read.

 

John looked up over his coffee mug with wide eyes.

“Come again?” He asked.

Stiles slowly rolled his eyes and spooned out another mouthful of Coco Krispies. “I said ‘How about Derek Hale going with me?’” Stiles widened his eyes and gave his head a small shake for emphasis.

“Uhmmm.” John thought eyes looking up. “No.”

He flipped open his paper and resumed his morning routine.

Stiles flounced his arms in frustration. “Aaaand why?”

John folded back his paper and eyed his son. “He was a suspected murderer, has no job, lives in a burnt out shell of a house and is a bit…too moody looking for my likes.” He flipped the paper up and disappeared once more from his son’s piercing gaze.

“Ok. Argument noted…But.” Stiles waved his spoon at his father. “Point one: He was found not in any way shape or form involved in his _sister_ ’s death.” Stiles stressed the word sister for effect. “Secondly..uhm. Point two. He has money from his parent’s life insurance and the home insurance…Thirdly: He is fixing up his _family_ home…” Stiles knew the word family was a good choice. John lowered his paper to look at him. “And…lastly...finally. Dad! The guy lost everyone he ever had and loved…” Stiles felt his heart lurch crazily as he said this. He realized that he had to count himself now in this mix. It was something that hadn’t dawned on him before. The image of young Derek crying against him, curled up in Stile’s bed, the night of his parents’ death. Stiles whispered to him. ‘I’m not going anywhere…I’m here for you, Derek.’

Stiles swallowed back the lump that had formed in his throat. “He has…the right to be moody.”

John arched his eyebrow as Stiles quickly looked back down into his popping mass of chocolate cereal. John sighed and folded his paper.

“I don’t know Stiles...”

Stiles smirked and looked up. “Well there is someone els…I could ask Jackson? I bet he’d love to go…”He scooped up his cereal and gave his dad a smile.

John grimaced and rolled his eyes. “Fine! Ask Derek…” He got up mumbling. “At least I have a set of his prints…” He looked back at Stiles shaking his head. “Jackson? I can’t stand that stuck up little…”

Stiles cheered inwardly at his inherently evil ability to know each and every one of his father’s mental pressure points.

 

 

The next morning before dawn, Stiles carried down his bag full of extra clothes and assorted sundries and stacked them near the stairway. He also had his laptop, his mother’s book and the translations Lydia and he had finished.

Following his mother’s rule for family trips he had also packed a snack bag for the trip. He hadn’t been sure what Derek would like but he decided on roast beef sandwiches, chips, apples, water bottles and twizzlers. After all who doesn’t like twizzlers.  

He took out some pans and began to cook breakfast. John came downstairs as soon as Stiles had plated the bacon. John sniffed appreciatively.  He gave Stiles a soft kiss on his head as he headed towards the coffee.  He watched Stiles slice up mushrooms and broccoli to mix with the eggs.

“Aw! Broccoli? Really Stiles?”

Stiles waved the spatula at him warningly. “Listen just because I’m not here to police you don’t think you can binge on Burgers and fries all week! I already told Dorothy at the diner that you are on a strict no fat, low cholesterol diet. I left her a list of acceptable dinner selections for you!”

“Aw. Not Grilled Chicken salad!”

Stiles smiled and nodded. He heard a soft knock at the door. “Ok. It’s Derek so…be nice…not all Sheriffy!”Stiles pulled out the plates and began setting the table.

John rolled his eyes and grabbed a piece of bacon. “Sheriffy? Really?” He opened the door to Derek dressed in his usual garb; black leather jacket, stained tee shirt, faded blue jeans and black sneakers. The only anomaly to the formula was a canvas backpack. Which John assumed carried more stained tees and faded blue jeans.   He pressed his lips together and gave him a curt nod. “Derek.”

Derek looked up with his eyes wide. “Sheriff” They eyed one another for a minute then John gestured him inside.

“Stiles is making us some breakfast…so put your bag down and fuel up. I…uhmm. Appreciate you going with Stiles…”

Derek stood in the living room, hand still clasping his bag strap. He gave John a slow nod. “Uh-huh.”

When Stiles entered the room John saw a quiet and quickly hidden change flash over Derek’s face. It was as if he had smiled, but then hid it behind his usual scowl.

John furrowed his brow and gave his head a quick shake of his head. Stiles gave Derek a subdued greeting, which also made John blink.

“Uhm. I made some omelets and bacon so we can fill up before we hit the road.”

Derek only nodded. He slowly slipped the bag from his shoulder, his eyes fixed on Stiles’ retreating form. John squinted at him. “You ok?” Derek startled and grinned. “Not much of a morning person…Need coffee.”

“Well, let’s get you some.” John ushered him into the kitchen. He pulled out a seat for Derek and poured him a cup of coffee. Derek smirked slightly and nodded. “Thanks.” He lowered his eyes to his plate.

Stiles walked over and flipped an omelet on his plate. Derek looked up at him. Stiles nodded toward the bacon. “Help yourself…There’s toast too.” Derek blinked and nodded slowly and reached over to grab some bacon.

Once he was eating Stiles sat and dug in.

The silence that descended was deafening. John looked from Derek to Stiles as he chewed. Finally he couldn’t stand it. “Jeez guys if this is how your road trips starting…I hope you are bringing some music or something.”

Derek and Stiles looked up at him then back down at their plates. John shook his head.

“So Derek. Stiles tells me you are fixing up your house. Who are you using?”

Derek looked up surprised and looked at John. ‘Sorry? Using? I…I’m doing the work myself…” He placed his fork down on his empty plate.

John leaned back and gave him a look of admiration. “Wow. All by yourself? That’s a pretty tall order. I…I didn’t know you were doing that.” He smiled over at Stiles. “Did you know?”

Stiles nodded and spooned another omelet onto Derek’s plate. He caught his dad’s surprised look and blushed slightly. “You can’t have the extra cholesterol.”

“Well. Maybe you could lend me a hand here…I’d be glad to pay you. Have to patch up the attic.” Derek eyed Stiles and then gave John a nod. “Sure. Whenever you need the help.” The silence fell again.   John pushed back his plate. “So! Derek what will you be doing while Stiles is in those classes?” Derek swallowed and looked up at Stiles briefly then back at John. “Uhm. I thought I’d just take in the local stores…Museums, book stores…” He furrowed his brow slightly. John nodded slowly. “Ok…”

 “Hey. It’s getting late I want to hit the road before rush hour. I’m going to hit the bathroom. Then we can go, right Derek?”

Derek quickly stood and nodded.  John handed him his cup of coffee. “Hey, finish your coffee! I need you alert.” Derek smiled and drank it down. “I’ll pack the car up.” John stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Derek, thank you again. I hope this isn’t too big of an inconvenience…Promise to keep him safe. Ok?”

Derek blinked slowly and nodded his eyes fixed on John. “I always keep my promises.” He said softly. John blinked and smiled back at him. “Well. Then. Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

When Stiles came out Derek had finished packing the last of his bags in the Camaro and was sitting anxiously in the driver’s seat. “Uh. What are you doing?” Stiles asked bending down to look at him. Derek’s eyes went wide and he shrugged. “Waiting. For you.”

“Yeah in your car…we’re taking the jeep.” He opened the backseat and began pulling out the bags. “Aw! You smooshed up the sandwiches!”

Derek hopped out of the car. “We are not taking that…thing on a road trip. We’ll be lucky if it makes it to the end of town.” Derek grumbled.

“What!” Stiles turned on him. “This jeep is a classic. It has heart and soul!”

“And no padded seats! And you can feel every bump in the road up to your teeth!”

Derek put the bags back into the Camaro. Stiles immediately pulled them back out. Derek stepped up to him. “Stop that!” He growled.

“You stop that! We’re taking my jeep on my trip. So there!”

Derek’s nostrils flared. “You are such a big baby.” He muttered turning away and reaching into his car for his bags.

“I heard that!”

“And I’m not listening just to your music the whole time!” Derek pulled out his phone and ear buds and shook them at him.

“Fine! You have no taste anyway.” He clambered into the seat and glared at Derek.

“I do so have taste! You don’t even know who I listen too!”

“It’s probably Gregorian Chants and The Dead Can Dance so there!”

Derek rolled his eyes. “Better than Lady Gaga and Stevie Nicks!”

Stiles eyes got big. “Don’t be dissin’ my Stevie! She’s a singer and a songwriter!”

 

The jeep rolled out of the driveway with the two of them barking back and forth.

John leaned against the front door and smirked. “Have fun boys! And here I was afraid they’d be quiet the whole way!” He closed the door shaking his head.

 

* * *

 

After almost an hour of brooding silence on the road Stiles had to talk. It wasn’t that he was incapable of silence, he just wasn’t a big fan of it.

“Sorry.” He murmured looking over at Derek. Derek was staring straight ahead with a lost puppy look on his face. Stiles noticed the ear buds and yanked one out. Derek startled and looked at him. “What!”

“I said ‘sorry’.”

Derek looked down sheepishly. “Yeah.Me too.”

“So what are you listening too? You can plug it in I have the adapter.” He unhooked his.

“No. No it’s fine.”

“Really. Go ahead. Or I can play “Landslide” again…your call.”

Derek rolled his eyes and chocked his head. “Again? Really?”

Stiles smirked. “It was my mom’s favorite…It’s great.”

Derek nodded. “Yeah maybe the first ten times you hear it…but after that…”

“So…put on what you are listening to. I’d like to hear it.”

Derek plugged it in and sighed. “It’s just a song.”

The first soft strumming of the guitar surprised Stiles at how gentle a song had caught Derek’s attention.

When he heard the first lyrics he smiled. “Indigo Girls? Really?”

Derek quickly switched it off . “It’s stupid. Forget it. It was one of Laura’s favorite bands. She played them all the time…we actually got a chance to see them in New York…before she came back…”

He turned and looked out the window.

Stiles hesitantly reached out and turned it back on. Derek turned and looked at him.

“I want to hear it. Hear everything. Ok?” Derek held his eyes and nodded slowly, swallowing quickly.

 

_“There's a letter on the desktop that I dug out of a drawer_

_The last truce we ever came to from our adolescent war_

_And I start to feel the fever of the warm air through the screen_

_You come regular like seasons shadowing my dreams_

_The Mississippi's mighty, but it starts in Minnesota_

_At a place where you can walk across with five steps down_

_And I guess that's how you started like a pinprick to my heart_

_But at this point you rush right through me and I start to drown_

_There's not enough room in this world for my pain_

_Signals crossed and love gets lost and time passed makes it plain_

_Of all my demon spirits I need you the most_

_I'm in love with your ghost_

_I'm in love with your ghost “_

Derek reached out to shut it off, but Stiles grabbed his hand away. He held it softly looking at Derek. “I told you I want to hear it…all.”

Derek bit his lip and turned away again facing the window, he felt Stiles looking at him, but he refused to look his way. The hot pain was flaring again through him. He chuckled darkly. A pain that would forever be dogging him he knew.

 

_“Dark and dangerous like a secret it gets whispered in a hush_

_And when I wake the things I dreamt about you last night make me blush_

_When you kiss me like a lover and you sting me like a viper_

_I go follow to the river play your memory like the piper_

_And I feel it like a sickness how this love is killing me_

_But I would walk into the fingers of your fire willingly_

_Dance the edge of sanity I've never been this close_

_In love with your ghost_

_Unknowing captor you'll never know how much you_

_Pierce my spirit but I can't touch you_

_Can you hear it a cry to be free_

_Oh I'm forever under lock and key_

_As you pass through me”_

“Stiles. Please. That’s enough. Ok. You heard enough.” Derek grit his teeth. Stiles kept his eyes forward but Derek could see the faint glimmer of tears.

“It’s almost over Derek. Just let me hear it all…”

 

_“Now I see your face before me; I would launch a thousand ships_

_To bring your heart back to my island as the sand beneath me slips_

_I burn up in your presence and I know now how it feels_

_To be weakened like Achilles with you always at my heels_

_This bitter pill to swallow is the silence that I keep_

_It poisons me I can't swim free the river is too deep_

_Though I'm baptized by your touch I am no worse at most_

_In love with your ghost.”_

* * *

 

The next song began and he heard Stiles take a shuddering breath. He glanced over at him cautiously. Stiles wiped his face and kept his eyes on the road.

“Why does it always have to be beautiful and sad. Always beautiful and sad.” Stiles pulled off an exit and pulled up to a rest stop. “I need to stretch my legs…”

He scrambled out of the car and began to walk briskly towards the buildings.   Derek  sank down into his seat, feeling the bloom of sorrow open in his heart and from his seat he could hear Stiles crying as he moved away.


	12. Chapter 12

Derek clenched and unclenched his fists anxiously. His legs twitched with the need to follow after Stiles. He couldn’t hear or see Stiles but he could still feel the steady rhythm of sorrow that linked them.  

Derek growled low in his throat. He couldn’t figure out Stiles. He was so clear and honest in all things…but not this. This is convoluted and wrapped up in all these confusing overly emotional reactions.

Sure Derek had betrayed him…kind of…But he did it to protect him! Keep him out of harm’s way! Keep his promise to Stella…because he loved them. Loved him! “Dammit!” Derek banged his hand angrily against the door, making a passing trucker jump back in fright.

He had told Derek that they were through…It was over. And yet here he sat. The minute Stiles snapped his fingers he came running. Derek groaned and folded his arms holding himself from launching out after Stiles.

 He instead watched the elderly ladies shuffling from the rest rooms to the coffee shops for the thrill of refilling their tanks in a new locale.

Derek growled again and gathered himself together, got out of the jeep and began scenting after Stiles. He found him leaning against the wooden railing head down against his folded arms. Derek paused looking at him. Stiles suddenly stood up quickly and turned to look at him. His eyes widened as he looked at Derek. Derek blinked in surprise at the look he was giving him.

“Stiles…I came to make sure you were…”

“I can feel you!” Stiles’ eyebrows drew down. He rubbed his chest. “You feel concerned…sad…confused, nervous....” He looked down at his hand, remembering something from a night a lifetime away. His eyes sweeping slowly up caught Derek. “It’s happened before…Just thought it was me…being…weird.”

He walked towards Derek with a new determination in his red rimmed eyes. “Touch me.”  Derek startled and looked around at the crowds of people.

“What?” He stepped back slightly.

“Just do this…once. I won’t ask again. I promise.” Stiles ducked his head down, but kept his eyes up to watch Derek. Derek took in a slow deep breath. “This is stupid Stiles. Nothing is going to happen.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about.” Stiles waited.

Derek stepped forward and placed his hand against Stiles arm. “There see!  Nothing. Just…Come on we need to go.” He turned pulling Stiles after him. They made it back to the jeep.

Derek opened the driver’s side and climbed into the seat.  “I’ll drive…You take a rest.” Stiles nodded slowly keeping his eyes half lidded looking at Derek.  Derek started the engine, put it in gear and turned to back out. He caught Stiles look and placed his foot on the brake.

 He sighed in exasperation. “What now!”

Stiles reached over and cupping his face kissed him. The jeep spluttered to a stop as Derek released the clutch quickly. The arch of electricity that ran through them making his eyes well with pain and joy.

Stiles pulled away looking at him intently. “That was a hell of a nothing…” He licked his lips and sat back. His face stern and thoughtful.

Derek blinked slowly and schooled his features. “Don’t…don’t do that again.” He growled. Stiles pulled back and leaned into the seat his eyes glancing sideways at Derek. Finally, he sighed and looked out the window.

“What the hell are you still not telling me!”

Derek avoided looking at him and backed up.  He pulled the car onto the road.

“Let’s just get you where you need to be.”

 

* * *

 

Outside dark clouds were rolling in heavily. Flashes of lightning and the tell-tale rumble of thunder guaranteed the storm’s intensity.

Derek looked behind him. “That car has been following us since the exit.”

The anger was still bubbling in Stiles.  His feet propped up on the dashboard, his arm folded in what he hoped looked like righteous anger and not petulant teenage sulking. Every time he looked at Derek he remembered again what had happened. That wasn’t just horny teenage weird libido stuff. There was something else playing out in his life. Another missing piece to the puzzle…a piece he was certain Derek held firmly and securely out of his reach.

“Just tell me and stop being so Alpha-ee!”He snapped suddenly making Derek flinch in surprise.

Derek gawked at him. “What the hell does that even mean?!” He barked at him.

Stiles threw his arms up in the air banging his knuckles against the roof of the jeep. “Son of a Bitch!” He grimaced kissing his knuckles. “Owwie. It means you needing to be all in control! Bossy and right and never thinking how what you do and say… or don’t say… affect people!”

“I am the alpha! Stiles! I have to be in control. Everything is mi…”

“It’s not all you responsibility! We are people Derek! Not helpless mindless puppies that depend on you to survive! People!”

The storm outside erupted. The skies unloaded rain in torrents of water. Derek had to slow down considerably just to keep track of the road.

Derek eyed Stiles. “Buckle your seat belt!” He snapped. He leaned in and tried to clear the heavy fog that was creeping up the window.

 

“Let me!” Stiles reached behind them and pulled out a napkin and  wiped down the foggy windshield.

“It would have been great if we had a car that actually had a defogger!” Derek snapped trying to look around Stiles wiping motions.

“It would also help if you would stop ‘huffing and puffing’ constantly!” Stiles barked back at him. “All your hot air is mucking it up!”

“I’m telling you that car is following us!” Derek looked into the rear view mirror.

Stiles turned to look at the nondescript junker behind them. “You’re imagining things.”

He checked the GPS. “We only have another couple of miles…then it turns off. Can you see ok?”

Derek rolled his eyes and looked at him. “Barely!”

“Of course this weird Voodoo man would live in the woods! There aren’t even any street lights up ahead!”

The car behind them sped up, their lights flooding the jeep’s interior.

“Christ! Idiot!” Stiles turned to look back at them. “Just let them pass.”

Derek swerved to the side, but the car remained behind them.  Derek snarled. “Still think they are just innocently driving…I tell you.” There was a distinct thudding and then the jeep began to shudder, pulling and screeching. Derek grabbed the wheel and tried to straighten it out.

“The tires!” he yelled. Stiles grabbed onto the dashboard as the jeep skidded off the road. Derek’s body lunged over Stiles as the Jeep crashed through the guard rail and skidded over the embankment.

 

* * *

 

Stiles opened his eyes slowly. It seemed as if the world had somehow turned upside down. His head throbbing in pain, blood trickled down his face.  The rain was hitting against him from the shattered windshield. The cold night air whistling through the broken glass. He felt a heavy weight pressed over him. Looking down he saw Derek’s head against his chest unmoving and bloodied. Stiles carefully moved his left arm up feeling it ache with the motion, and gingerly touched Derek.

“Derek.” He whispered urgently. When he didn’t see any movement a panic ran through him. He fumbled for the door and pushed on it, it swung open slowly. Stiles held it open with his foot. He pushed back against the seat and pulling himself free he linked his arm under Derek’s arm and slowly tried to lift him. It was only then that he saw glittering in the lightning flashes the branch that had crashed through the windshield and had impaled Derek.

Stiles cried out in horror as he realized what had happened. “Derek!”

 The branch was still attached to the tree and embedded in Derek.  Stiles bit back his tears as he carefully felt for Derek’s pulse. He could feel it feebly pumping against his fingers. “Derek! Stay with me. I’ll help you. Derek! Open your eyes.”

Derek remained motionless. Stiles grit his teeth and tried to pull the branch free. His hands slick with rain and blood couldn’t find a purchase. If he could remove it, then Derek’s body could heal. He inched his way from underneath Derek’s body. Derek groaned suddenly and grasped at Stiles’ leg with his claws. Stiles bit his lip to hold back a cry of pain.

“Holy God! Not! Helping.” He gritted through his pain. Finally free from Derek’s considerable weight, Stiles took in a shaking breath and once more attempted to pull out the branch. He heard a small crack and leaned in to see a faint fracture in the branch. “Oh come on!” He groaned. Slowly he bent the branch pulling it out. Derek groaned again and clenched his jaw in pain. “Sorry…Sorry” Stiles cried.

The blood began to gush hot and thick over Derek.  Stiles whimpered and pulled the branch free and covered the wound with his hands to stop the blood flow. He carefully lifted Derek back. His face was white and drawn.

“Derek” He cupped Derek’s face softly. “I need you to wake up. I have to get you out of here.”

Derek’s eyes flashed open briefly. “Stiles?”

Stiles choked back a sob. “Yeah. It’s me…I’m here.”

Derek smiled softly. “You’re always here.”  He closed his eyes in pain.

“Come on. We need to move out of here.” Stiles lifted Derek’s arm over his shoulder and pulled him out of the mangled jeep. Derek grunted against him. Stiles and he stood up.

“My shoulder…”Derek groaned and leaned against Stiles. Stiles laced his hand around his waist and lead him to a cleared area and laid him down carefully. “I need to check this wound.” Derek closed his eyes as Stiles peeled off his jacket. Derek’s grey shirt looked black from the blood that had seeped over it.   
“Christ Derek! I’m going to need something the pack this with!” Stiles scrambled for the crumpled jeep and dug through the back to pull out their bags. As he pulled out the bags he noticed the two arrows that had pierced the back tire.  He closed his eyes tightly and took another shaking breath. “This is no good.”

He dragged the bags over to Derek and wiped the rain from his face as he pulled out a sweatshirt and pressed it against the pulsing wound. “Derek. Listen we need to move.”

Derek briefly lifted his eye to him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Uhm. The thing is. We have three arrows in the back tires.”

Derek shifted up. “Hunters?” He growled softly. He pushed up to try and stand, but crumbled against Stiles.

“My leg…knee is shattered…” Stiles lifted him up.

“Why did you throw yourself on me like a crazy soccer mom!” Stiles cried angrily.

Derek huffed. “Don’t be mad at me…I needed to protect…” His head lolled forward as he blacked out.

“You stupid…” Stiles cradled him to his chest. His hands pushing Derek’s wet hair from his face. “…Brave idiot.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against Derek’s forehead softly.

From overhead he heard a car tires squeal to a stop. His heart began to pound in panic. He pulled Derek to the opposite side of the tree as quickly and quietly as he could. He heard mumbled voices creeping closer. He  leaned Derek against the tree and covered him with the bags. He saw a flashlight scanning down over the wreckage of his Jeep.

“Careful Doug. She said that one of them was a werewolf a car wreck wont kill him…only slow him down. He could be anywhere.”

“I say torch it.”Came the voice of Doug.

“Are you nuts…She wants the book. We torch it and we torch the book. Just. Quiet. Cover me.” Stiles heard the man begin his slow climb down the embankment. Stiles scuttled on all fours looking for a stick or a rock to use if the need arose. From the corner of his eye he saw something run past. Stiles caught the yelp of terror in his throat before it escaped.

The small figure paused and cocked his head at him. At first it looked like a child, naked and thin, and then it smiled at him showing a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Stiles fell backwards and scrambled away from the frightening sight. The thing only regarded him for a moment then raised a spindly finger to its non-existent lips. “Shhh.” It hissed. Stiles eyes widened and he nodded mutely.  The creature seemed to vanish in an instant. The next thing Stiles heard was the raw panicked scream of the men above him. He grabbed a rock and scrambled back to Derek and prepared to defend him. The high pitched screams ended abruptly and a soft thudding sound bounced towards him. Stiles looked into the blackness that was lit up only by the diminishing lightning flashes. The sound continued until it stopped close to where he was sitting. Gathering his courage he leaned from around the tree to look. The severed heads of two men eyed him. Their looks of terror and disbelief clearly and forever imprinted on their dead faces. Stiles eyes rolled up and the blackness took him.


	13. Chapter 13

 

Stiles felt the softness of a mattress beneath him. A warm blanket was pulled up snugly over his head, he curled his face deeper into the pillow. The smell of spices, coffee and something roasting made his stomach grumble softly. He liked this dream. It was cozy.

A soft hand patted his back .

“Oy! Come on laddie. I don’t have all day.”

Stiles groaned and squinted his eye open slowly poking his head up slightly. A rosy cheeked white bearded man smiled down at him, his red wool hat dripping with rain.

“Santa?” Stiles groggily smiled up at him. “Yay! Is it Christmas?”

“I need you to wake up. My friend here needs to examine you.” Stiles groaned as he opened his eyes slowly. The light blinding him. His head began to pound painfully. He slowly sat up fighting off a wave of nausea as the whole room lurched and spun.  He gingerly held his head trying to put all the pieces together.

“Derek!” He lurched forward. The man held him down with a gentle but firm hand. He turned to look back over his shoulder. “He’s been stitched up and is healing up…slowly. You however are my biggest concern…Conrad? Come check out this one will you?” He stood up revealing his considerable girth.

Stiles tried to look past him and over at Derek. All he could make out was Derek’s bare back wrapped in gauze.

“He’s ok?” He looked up at the man. The man cocked his head and shrugged slightly. “He’s been tended and mended…the rest is up to him.”

Stiles furrowed his brow at him. “What does that…” The other man sat down and shone a  light into Stiles’ eye. “Jeez!” Stiles flinched back.

“Pupil dilatation good.” He carefully examined the side of Stiles head. “Bruising and some abrasions…but no need to fret.”  He pulled the cover off him slowly. Stiles looked down and saw his ribs had been wrapped up.

“How did that happen?”

The brown haired man smiled at him. “Adreline rush. Had some broken glass and a few bruised ribs. Lugh here has some nifty ointments. You should be right as rain in no time.” Stiles eyed the man carefully. “I…I think I know you…”

The man ducked his head. “Uhm…year ago you and your friend broke into my house? Ring any bells?”

Stiles startled. “Dr…Fenris?”

The man chuckled. “Not really the best alias for a ridiculed ‘werewolf’ aficionado…But yea. That’s me.”

“Lugh? Corvin? You are doctor Corvin?” He glanced up at the bearded man.

“Yup. Sorry ..No Father Christmas here… Just a fat old man who is suddenly being swarmed by guests. I hope I have enough toilet paper.” He walked off shaking his head slowly.

Conrad chuckled slightly. “I was just happening through…A lucky coincidence.”

Lugh roared  from the other room. “There are no coincidences! “ he returned in carrying a huge steaming mug.

He passed it to Stiles. “Drink it quick it taste like shit warmed over.” Stiles pulled a face and looked into the mug.

“Ah! Don’t go all squeamish. Just drink it ya bloody arse.”

Conrad helped steady the cup as Stiles manfully drained it.

“Holy God!”He choked nearly retching.

Lugh smirked. “Told ya.”

“As I was saying. After you and your friend visited me I began to re-examine my research and one thing led to another and like I said…Lugh and I met…and I happened to just be leaving when the two of you arrived.”

Stiles looked up at him in disbelief. “So it was only a coincidence that a doctor was here…ready to fix us up…”

“Not a coincidence!” Lugh fumed. “Fate is like a river. Some walk along it, some sail on it others find themselves ass-end bobbing like a duck in it!”

“I take it I’m the duck?” Stiles grumbled looking down.

Lugh smiled brightly. “Exactly! Once you know your place in this messed up crap heap of a planet the better off you are!”

The drinks effect seemed to be hitting him. The lights around the two men seemed to be undulating softly. Stiles chuckled as he looked at them. Dr. Fenris had a soft even green glow over him, Lugh a shocking rainbow of colors.

“Sparkly!” Stiles slurred. He closed his eyes softly. “Nightie night.”

 

Conrad laid him down and turned back to Lugh. “You sure they’ll be safe here?”

Lugh frowned at him. “For the time being. You ready to go?”

Conrad stood up and nodded. “I’ll get to their friends and let them know what is going on…Are you still going to teach him?” He turned back to look at Stiles. “He seems so young.”

Lugh clapped his shoulder. “He’s got some metal in him, don’t you fret. It’s the other one that concerns me.” He looked over at Derek. “Some wounds neither you nor I can heal.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles awoke to a dark room. He pushed himself up and tried to get his bearings. From the next room he heard a slight shuffle of feet and the distinct clanging of pans. He pulled himself up and groaned as the pain in his ribs spiked. He saw his bags neatly piled next to the bed and pulled out a pair of jeans and an old hoodie.  He walked out towards the sound of the pots and saw Derek asleep on a makeshift bed. He forgot all pretense of sneaking and rushed over to him. His color looked better, but he was in a deep sleep.

A deep voice came from behind him. “He’s pretty worn out…He lost a lot of blood. Even for one of his kind.” Stiles turned to look at Lugh who was looking with a soft expression of sorrow down at Derek. “For the moment let him sleep. Conrad did his best to quicken the healing…we just have to wait for his spirit to do the rest.”

“He’ll be ok? Right?” Stiles inched his hand to Derek’s forehead and gently brushed his sweat dampened hair from his face. Lugh raised an eyebrow at him.

“Like I said…If the spirit’s willing…Now, come and eat. You need to keep your strength.” He gestured Stiles to follow him. Lugh tightened the sash around his deep green robe. “I made some stew. Put some beef to them bones o’ yours.”

He pulled out a bowl and gestured Stiles to sit at the rough cut slab of a table. Stiles hesitantly tried the stew, then smiled as the rich flavors ignited on his tongue. “Good.” He murmured.

Lugh nodded his eyes twinkling, and then dug into his own dish. Stiles eyes wandered around the dimly lit room. Piles of books stacked everywhere, large comfy and chunky looking chairs and cluttered tables everywhere.

“Nice house.” Stiles smiled.

Lugh eyed him. “You think? I’m not really a house type. I miss the days when you could set up in a nice cave.”

He grumbled into his bowl. “Stupid park rangers nosing around…or yuppie hikers freaking out just because you want to commune with the Goddess au natural…”

Stiles spoon hung suspended before his mouth. He closed it quickly. “You…Uhm. Knew my mom?”

Lugh looked up at him swiftly, then back into his bowl. “Yes. I did.”

Stiles put down his spoon. “I found her book.”

Lugh chuckled. “Found it did you?” He looked up at him his eyes serious. “Or did it finally find you?”

Stiles swallowed quickly and shrugged. “I’m guessing it found me?”

“No. Probably your father finally took off his grief goggles and pulled out your mother’s things…Right?” He smirked at Stiles.

“Uhmm…Yeah.” Stiles resumed his dinner. His eyes scanning over to look at Derek’s still sleeping form. Lugh glanced sideways at his gaze.

“He means a lot to you, doesn’t he?”

Stiles blushed and looked down with a slight nod.

Lugh snorted slightly. “So what’s the issue? He not into chicken?”

“No? He eats all kinds of meat…” Stiles looked up confused.

Lugh chuckled and shook his head. “Ah, youth.”

“So he…he really will be ok?” Stiles turned to look over at Derek.

“Like I said…if his spirit is willing.” Lugh gathered the dishes and stood up.

“What the hell does that mean? I mean will he get better or not?” Stiles stood up his hand banging against the table.

Lugh dropped the bowls into the sink and turned to Stiles’ raised voice. He huffed and walked towards Stiles and roughly pulled him towards Derek.

Stiles looked up at him and down at his tight grip on his arm. “Owwie!”

“Hush up and look.” He gestured over Derek’s sleeping form. “You want to see if he’ll get better you’d better start by really looking at him.”

Stiles looked at him in confusion. “What do you mean I am…”

Lugh touched his forehead. “No. Not just with your eyes…With your soul…your heart…Not what you want or expect to see…Just what is.”

He gestured again towards Derek. Stiles leaned forward and once again saw the lights blurring slightly. He could suddenly see a deep blue glow around Derek that was laced with gold and shimmering streaks of pale lavender.

Stiles smile widened. “It’s beautiful…so serene and peaceful…Not what I would have…wait…what is…”

As Derek breathed out Stiles could see another darker mass over his chest, swirling black and greys that seemed to be spreading out slowly. He turned frightened eyes towards Lugh.

“It’s gaining ground…this despair…It’s slowly taking him over.”

“What! What do you mean? Stop it!” Stiles voice broke as he looked down again at Derek.

“It’s his burden Stiles. It’s what becomes of another who must sacrifice their own goals, dreams, hopes…” he paused and looked at stiles. “…their loves. Derek was thrust into a role and a life he didn’t want or ask for… His grief and mistrust and fear are now gaining ground. Another has tapped into that and is using it against him.”

Stiles reached down to touch Derek’s chest as if he could erase the swirling darkness. “Why? Why would someone want to do that to him…hurt him…again.”

“Again?” Lugh chuckled. “The boy has been hurting like this for years…It’s just finally become a beacon to one who knows how to take advantage of it.”

“Who would hurt him like this?” Stiles grit his jaw.

Lugh sighed. “There are always individuals who will take advantage of the weakness of others. They actually relish seeing the brave and strong crumble into weakness and sorrow.” He rubbed his eyes tiredly and stepped away. “Let this be your first lesson, if you will…Words have power Stiles. Like love and hope or trust and forgiveness.”

Stiles sank down next to Derek. “How can I help him?”

“Start by trusting him. Did he tell you why he took your memories?”

Stiles turned and looked at Lugh with wide eyes. “How the hell did you know?”

Lugh chuckled. “I have friends in high places Stiles. Friends who have been watching over the two of you for a while. They keep me informed.”

Stiles stumbled up looking at him. “He said he wanted to protect me…”

Lugh shook his head softly. “Not just that. He wanted you to find love and be free of fear and danger. He sacrificed his one last happiness in this world… for you, to give you freedom from his world and the dangers it would bring you. Don’t you understand yet you silly boy?"

"Why me? Why did he do that for me?" Stiles blinked back his tears.

" Wolves mate for life…and when they find their mate they will do anything in their power to keep their mate safe.”

Stiles bit his lip to stop its trembling. “And…if they lose their mate?”

Lugh shrugged and lifted his hands. “They pine away…and lose the spirit, the desire to live.”


	14. Chapter 14

Lugh had piled up a stack of books and handed them one at a time into Stiles’ arms. Stiles’ eyes widened as the heavy books stacked up. .

” But what about Derek! I mean we need to make sure he’s ok…How can we wake him up?”

“He’ll wake when he is able…Then we’ll deal with the issue of whoever is targeting him and you. But first!” He patted the top of the books making Stiles wobble under their weight.

“Have them read by tomorrow.” Lugh said in an even tone. “Obviously your training will have to step it up. Now that well …people are trying to kill you and him or both of you…I’m a bit fuzzy on the finer details….but safe to say…the faster you can learn some rudimentary things…well…I hate digging graves…” He tugged his robe tighter. “Son of a bitch thing won’t stay fastened! Triple x-tra large my arse!” Lugh began stacking wood into the fireplace and poked it to a blaze.

Stiles had listened with eyes widening with each word. He blinked and swallowed nervously

Stiles staggered to the table and dropped the books in a thud onto its cluttered surface. He eyed Lugh. “So speaking of…uhmm dead bodies…What actually happened to those Hunters…I could have sworn I saw something…”

Lugh stopped his jabbing at the wood and gave a small chuckle. “Saw somethin’ did ya? And what would that be?” He turned and regarded Stiles evenly.

Stiles swallowed nervously again and shrugged slightly. “Uhmm. Not really sure? It looked like a kid…but like Exorcist and the Grudge combo kind of kid…”

He shivered slightly recalling the thin figure. “It had teeth like…a shark? I…” Stiles sank slowly down into the chair. “…I must have imagined it? Right? There is no such…”

Lugh raised an eyebrow and gave him a smirk. He raised his hands and in a clear voice recited.

“O day and night, but this is wondrous strange! And therefore as a stranger give it welcome. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

He burst into laughter as Stiles eyes widened. “That wasn’t a spell you boob. It’s Shakespeare!”

Stiles nodded quickly and tried to smile, but something moving up onto the table made him skid back in a panic. Two huge black orbs peeked up from the edge of the table.

The skin on its hairless head glowed a faint bluish silver. It’s ears like a cats twitched forward in Stiles direction.

Stiles’ ass cheeks developed locomotion and he found himself scuttling back and out of the chair. He grabbed a book and held it up like a shield between him and the sinewy creature who now was sitting crossed legged and grinning widely at him.

“Holy! Mother of God!” He pointed a shaking finger at the creature and turned terrified eyes to Lugh. “What! What the hell is that!”

Lugh rose his eyebrows. “You…You can see him?”

Stiles eyed widened even more. “Uh! Yeah! Hence the shitting of my pants right now!”

Lugh slapped his leg and threw back his head laughing. “Son of a bitch! Puck you bastard! Did you glamour him!”

The thin blue figure blinked and cocked his head at Stiles then shook it softly.

“I’ll be damned. So you can see my little friend?” Lugh pursed his lips in a shocked admiration. “Without any aid…Hmmm.”

Lugh tapped his finger thoughtfully against his lip. Lugh pulled out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a mugful.

“Puck? That is… what it is?” Stiles was gaining some confidence from Lugh’s apparent lack of concern.  “The Puck? Like from books and stuff?”

He looked at the creature again and noticed its hands ended in dagger long claws. Stiles chuckled nervously and stepped slowly behind the chair, his hands holding on tightly to stop their shaking.

The Puck yawned and arched its back like a cat then stood up on the table and stretched. It moved closer to Stiles and waggled its fingers at him in a greeting.

“He obviously likes you.” Lugh chuckled. “Or else he would have eviscerated you.”

The creature turned and snarled then stuck out a black pointed tongue at Lugh.

“Eh. Up yers!” Lugh chuckled took a swig of his drink and placed a bowl filled with stew on the table. “I’m leaving this here for no reason. So…whatever…”

 The creature dove head first into the lukewarm mass of grease, vegetables and beef. Stiles scrunched his face up  watching it eat and skittered away to keep the distance between them.

Lugh nodded  at him and patted Stiles’ arm.

“Really. No worries. If the Sidhe had wanted to he would have killed you. Obviously he has a chosen to acknowledge you…by letting him see you. It’s an honor…they don’t usually do this…”

The creature looked up and blinked slowly at Stiles, he looked pleased.

“Sidhe? I read about this…Tuatha du Daanan? Right? Fairies? Wee Folk?” The creature was making happy gurgling noises as it lapped up the remaining whiskey from Lugh’s mug.

Lugh nodded and began opening the books one at a time. “I think he’s… _if he’s a he_ …is one of the Phookabian…Phookas…Pretty rare. The Natives here in America called them Heyokah. Tricksters…Little Mysteries…”

The creature sat back and began licking the gravy from his claws.

Stiles couldn’t stop looking at him.  Watching him doing these normal regular type things…He wasn’t so scary. The longer he looked at him he could see a simple beauty in the creature.

He stepped closer. The eyes were big and deep, and kind of cute.  

“He kind of looks like “Stitch”! You know  from the movie with the little girl and the alien.  They were in Hawaaii…He was blue too! With big eyes…” Stiles hesitantly reached out a hand to touch the creature.

 “Hi Puck… I’m Stiles.”

 

Just as his hand touched the creature’s head it reared up stretching large like an uncoiling snake, eyes glowing, and mouth agape with razor sharp teeth snapping, mouth frothing.

 It gave out an inhuman roar which made Stiles scramble to cover his ears. Stiles fell backwards knocking over the chair in his effort to get away; and  he gave out a scream of pure panic as the creature lunged and dove at him.

Only to vanish as it struck his chest.

The next thing he knew Derek’s arms were holding him tightly.

Derek was growling and looking around ready to attack and defend Stiles from whatever had scared him.

He looked up at Stiles with wide eyes. “What happened? You ok?” He flared his nose scenting the air.

Stiles mouth dropped open. “Derek? You ok?” He ran a hand over his face carefully.

Derek leaned forward his eyes softening at the touch, then jerked back suddenly. “Why did you scream like that!”

Lugh began to chuckle slowly. “Puck you sneaky, little bastard! I get it! Oh. Good one. Smart lad…or lass…whatever.”

Derek lunged up bristling. “Who are you! How did you get us here!” Derek pulled Stiles behind him. Lugh smiled brightly at him.

“Sonny boy take a breath… I’m a friend. You are in my house. And are …really… quite safe.”

Stiles peeked from behind Derek’s shoulder. “Yeah! Right! That thing nearly killed me!”

Lugh chuckled and patted his stomach. “No. He glamoured you…made you become all soft and mushy… then he went into panic mode…It’s a common tactic…But he actually was quite brilliant…”

Stiles stepped up from behind Derek” What the hell do you mean?”

“He used your panic…fear to do something important!” Lugh poured himself a finger of whiskey, and tossed it back. “Want some?” He jiggled the bottle at them.

Stiles nodded quickly. “What did he do?” He felt the whiskey burn down his throat. He blinked back the tears it caused.

“Simple. It woke Prince Charming here up. “ Lugh stepped closer and eyed Derek. “You heard the cry of your mate, and rushed to his aid….Smart fucking little trickster. I should have thought of it! Bastard.”

Derek’s eyes went wide. “What…what did you say?” He looked over at Stiles his eyes wide with fear and something like wonder.

Lugh frowned looking at him.

“Sonny…I said…mate…didn’t you…Know?”

Derek stepped back suddenly his head shaking slowly. He looked at Stiles his eyes welling with tears.

He shook his head again more forcefully. “ No. I didn’t know.”

“Your mother never…”

Derek grit his jaw and clenched his hands by his sides. Stiles stepped closer. “Derek?” He placed a hand softly against his chest. “You ok?” Derek breathed in deeply and looked down at Stiles’ hand over his chest.

Derek looked up anger and sorrow mixed in his eyes. He pushed past Stiles, and rushed into the night. By the time Lugh and Stiles made it outside all that remained was his jeans and the  torn strips of bloodied gauze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry so short big night. Hit gym then dinner in a few, date night. keep the comments coming I love your feedback!


	15. Chapter 15

The wolf pounded through the underbrush, he had no sense of purpose or direction, just the need for space for distance. Once he had cleared the area of the house and the tantalizing smell of Stiles he stopped, sides heaving with breath, tongue lolled out in exhaustion. The quick and rapid change had been more draining than it should have been. He felt weak, exposed…vulnerable. He hung his head and let his breath calm slowly. The scent of wet leaves and rich earth wafting over him, calming him. He stretched beneath a tree and laid his head down on his paws. “Why? Did the big man, who smelt like trees say that? Why did Stiles not seem surprised by it?” Derek lifted his nose and sniffed at the areas strange smells. This wasn’t his territory. He felt lost and confused and weak again.  He had no recollection of coming here. The last thing he remembered was the tires squealing, the steering wheel locking in his grip and the thought of Stiles as they plummeted over the embankment and through the guard rails.

He pulled his body up and shifted back. The warmth and security of his fur vanishing leaving his skin cool and wet. He leaned his head against the tree. “What did that mean…Stiles was his mate?” He shook his head slowly. “all this time…the feelings, the confusion, the need to be with him…” He dug his fingers into the wet ground. “I never could get away from this…I’m trapped.” He bowed his head and ground his teeth together in a fury. “All this time! And they knew? His mother knew? And never told him…Explained what hell he was heading into?” He  closed his eyes against the storm of sorrow pounding at his heart. His mother’s eyes regarding him.

_His mother walked towards him with a slight smile. “Son?” She stroked his sweaty brow and he smiled softly. “I’m ok.” He murmured. She nodded at him. “Seems you found an anchor.” He looked up quickly at her, the shock of her words being absorbed into his mind._

That night of the Wolf’s Moon. When he learned to control the transformation. She had known. He choked back a sob. “Why? Why didn’t you tell me!”

A soft rustle of the trees around him made him open his eyes. Standing there was his mother, pale and luminous, her same dark eyes regarding him.

“I had planned to tell you, my love. But I thought to give you time to realize it for yourself.”

Derek startled back into the tree. His body caught between fear and longing as he looked up at her.

“Mom?!” He whimpered. She nodded slowly. “How…how is this…” He scanned quickly around in amazement. The trees seemed to have taken on an eerie glow. He realized that he sat within a ring of trees. The tall oaks creating a space like a cathedral rising above his head.

She flickered slowly and moved nearer. Bending down she settled gracefully before him. Her eyes full of love and comfort.

Derek leaned forward towards her  “ But… you’re gone! Dead…” He bit his lip trying to stop the tears that had begun to flow.

The spirit nodded slowly, her eyes down. “I know baby. I know.” Her hand reaching toward him, but stopping before it could make contact. “But I have never gone from you…Never left your heart.”

“Why? Why is this…happening?”

The spirit looked away slightly. “We are strongest when we have our pack. You have tried I know…But my love, it’s not simply a number… it’s a bond. You have closed yourself…You have punished yourself long enough…You need to open this beautiful heart of yours…to accept love and give love.”

The image of Kate flashed before his eyes and he groaned. He felt the same poisonous sickness twisting in his stomach. His eyes widened as he looked back at his mother’s understanding eyes.

“I…killed you…killed everyone!” He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. “She was able to do it…because of me…Me!”

Derek felt a cool breeze ruffle his hair, as if she had stroked his hair. He looked up at her through tear blurred eyes.

“No. Derek. You did not kill us. You do not own that sin. It is hers alone. She would have followed that path regardless…You were as much a victim as we were.”

“I allowed her to…Allowed her to use me…” he dropped his head in shame. “I thought she loved…Loved me.”

Esmee sat back. “It was never love Derek. You know that. You’ve felt love…true love…does it feel the same? Look inside…Find that anchor…hold it to you…”

He closed his eyes and there was Stiles. Steady and warm, chaotic and funny, weak and strong…He felt his mouth twitching slowly into a smile.

“You see? Love is so many things. It is irrational, comforting, frightening and true. Is that what you felt with Kate?”

Derek flushed as he thought about Kate. It was only passion, only a release. The thrill of his body and hers together, mindless and emotionless. He shook his head slowly.

“But Stiles?” He swallowed painfully. “He’s just a kid! What the hell is wrong with me! Why is it him! I tried…Tried not to…feel this…All these years…Alone. So alone.” He bowed his head down again and cried.

The gray sorrow that had followed him for years seemed to surround him, drowning him in its cold grip.

Esmee’s eyes flashed at him. “Derek!”

He blinked weakly up at her. He felt the defeat flowing through him. “I don’t know how to continue…I don’t know what to do…I feel…Lost.”

“You are the Alpha. I know it is not what you’ve wanted…or ever desired…But it is yours now. It is up to you. Lead with love… not fear. You are not alone…You’ve never been alone. There are others who care for you…Love you. But…You must let that in…You must allow yourself to trust again…”

Derek shook his head slowly. “I can’t…Can’t lose him…lose them…I’m not strong enough…To face that…again.”

Esmee smiled sadly at him her form flickering. “Loss and love are always bound together. Love can make you weak, but my love, it can also make you strong. Would you want to live alone and lonely forever?  Was our life not worth something? The laughter, happiness, caring we all had for one another? Find that in you…not our passing. Find that in you Derek…Love is never easy, but there is nothing stronger…nothing more powerful…”

She looked away into the distance, her eyes suddenly fearful. “Stay strong, my love…Stay strong…Don’t allow sorrow to own you!”

The wind rose slowly and she faded away. Derek lunged to grab at her. “Mom!” He cried out, feeling her faint soft caress across his cheek. “Don’t leave me! Please! Please! Don’t leave me!” He collapsed against the ground.

Warm arms pulled him up and cradled him tightly. Derek looked up through his tear blurred eyes. Stiles silently crying nodded at him.  His eyes wide looking intently at Derek. His hand gently wiping Derek’s tears away gently.

His voice broke, “Stiles…”

Stiles buried his head against his shoulder. “Shhh. I’m here. I’m here. Derek.” He pulled his face to his and looked at his eyes. “I’m here.”

 

* * *

 

Lugh stepped from the trees and regarded them quietly. He turned and looked down at Puck who blinked back at him with a sorrowful expression.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us don’t we?”

Puck nodded slightly. He lifted his nose in the air and gave a high pitched tweet.

“What? How can they have found us all ready?” Puck growled softly and vanished. A wind came roaring over the grove. Lugh ground his teeth angrily. “Son of a bitch!” He growled. “You two! Inside! Now!”

Derek and Stiles looked up at him and then at the shaking branches lashing overhead. A dark cloud had formed and it was inking its way down through the tree tops.

Derek grabbed Stiles and half carried him towards the house as the wind seemed to lower and race through the woods towards them. Stiles could swear he saw eyes suddenly blinking maliciously at them from the swirl of grey air.

“Hold on to me!” Derek growled. Stiles felt the skin blur beneath his fingers and warm, thick black fur appeared. Derek pushed him up onto his back. Stiles leaned forward against the wolf’s back as it raced from the woods.

Lugh nodded after them in approval, then turned back to face the cloud as it spun directions and headed after the boys.

“Hold on there bucko!” He raised his hands. “You are on my turf!” He gestured angrily at the cloud.  The wind crashed into him making his body lurch a step backwards.

With a curse he struggled forward. A green glow erupted from the circle of trees. The cloud paused and began writhing as if in agony.

Lugh squinted and planted his feet firmly. “By Earth, By Air, By Flame and Sea…Bound are you by the laws of three.” A cold voice cried out in pain from the cloud.

“Heehee.” Lugh chuckled. “You have a voice do ya! Then you can answer me some questions!”

The voice rose in a frenzied pitch. “Never!” It wailed.  

“ Daemons! I bind you by the hand of Earth herself. You lack authority here!” His brow dampened as the effort of the Daemons will battled against his. “Name your master!” He grunted.

“Never!” Came the sibilant hiss again.

“Ok! You want hard ass…I’ll give you hard ass!” Roots from underground snaked up his legs, wrapping and holding him steady against the torrent of wind. Lugh dropped and pulled out a handful of soil and tossed it at the cloud.

“ Form you lack, form you receive…Trapped in the mother’s hand for eternity be…”

The debris spread and began forming a small hard sphere at the center of the cloud. The wind lashed against the trees creaking and twisting them, but Lugh dug in solidly against the buffeting winds. With a final howl of rage the cloud dispersed and in its wake a solid black ball of stone dropped to the ground.

Lugh freed from the roots, landed on his bottom, feet sprawled out looking at  the stone. Puck reappeared and handed him a jar and a container of sea salt “ Some help you were!” He grumbled.

 Puck rolled his eyes up at him and shrugged. Lugh rocked from side to side trying to get up. Puck pulled at him and finally he was on his feet. Gathering up the stone he quickly dropped it into the jar and poured in a good measure of salt.

He eyed the stone. “So we have a Hag involved somehow…” He sighed and looked down at Puck who nodded at him. “Damn! Hate those old bats! Well!” He handed the jar to Puck. “Time to disappear again. You fetch the items, I’ll call in the reinforcements.”

Puck vanished and returned arms full of jars and candles. Lugh set about creating a circle. “I better not have to move again! I fucking hate packing!” Puck squinted at him.

“Yeah… yeah! I know! You warned me! But this time…I’m not going to let them get the upper hand. This time they are the ones mucking up the balance…Not me! I’ll do right by her memory.”

 The last candle burst into light and a wafting glow spread out into the woods in a circle. “I’ll be damned if they think they can harm any under my watch.”

He raised his hands and like a small bomb was ignited a shock wave flew off in all directions. Lugh nodded slightly, pleased with his work. “Let them try that again and they’ll see there’s more to me than a sparkling personality and stretch marks!”

Puck groaned. “Phfftt” It hissed.

Lugh nodded. “Now we have got to get those two on board…And fast.”

Puck nodded and grinned.

“It’s time they moved forward….You know any good werewolf aphrodisiacs?”

Puck furrowed his brow thinking. Lugh chuckled and lifted him up to sit on his shoulder. “Just joking…I really doubt I’ll be needing that…Just some candlelight…alone time and… the right excuse and I have a feeling that those two will be bumping the nasty soon enough.”

Puck grinned and clucked his tongue.

“No you can’t watch you little perv….Although we could fetch a good price on the internet for that…”

Puck eyed him.

“What! A Druid’s got to eat you know!”

 

 

* * *

 

Derek was pacing around Stiles nervously when they entered. Stiles looked up with terror filled eyes at Lugh and Puck as they entered.

“What the hell was all that?”

“There seems to be a Hag gunning for you boys. Don’t know why…But…There it is.” Lugh brushed off his robe and sat down heavily at the table. “Be a good lad and fetch me my mother’s milk would ya?”

Stiles rolled his eyes and poured him a mug of whiskey.

”Sláinte! Lads!” He drained it with a smile. He leaned forward and eyed them. “I must be off for a bit…I’ll need to be sure you two are safe and sound before I do.”

Derek stiffened. “What is happening here! Why are we suddenly being attacked? Does this have to do with Stella’s book…and why Stiles is here?”

Lugh pursed his lips. “Yes…Yes and Yes.” He poured himself another drink. “You see…You…Boyo.” He pointed at Stiles. “Have a gift…Not unlike mine…And there are those who…obviously don’t want you discovering it…”

Stiles startled and looked at Derek. Derek groaned softly and placed a protective hand over Stiles’ shoulder.

“And you? Well…I have a feeling that they have already gotten their claws on you.” He looked up with serious eyes at Derek. Derek stepped back in shock.

“What? What do you mean?”

Lugh smirked sadly at him. “You…carry a mark. A miasma…a curse. Someone whammied you…Don’t know who or why…but. Well. There it is.”

“A curse?” Derek inadvertently rubbed his chest.

Lugh eyed him.

“You been involved in any weirdness? Other than the usual wolf shenanigans?”

Stiles looked quickly at Derek and then at Lugh. He dropped his eyes. “Would a resurrected pyscho uncle qualify?”

Lugh startled. “What? What did ye say?”

Derek ground his teeth and looked up. “My…uncle…he used some ritual…and this girl to come back…to life…after I had…killed him.”

Puck gave out a slow hiss. Lugh nodded at him. “Oh. Boy.Is right.”

He leaned forward regarding Derek. “Tell me how.”

Derek began pacing again. “I was drugged…then he had Lydia do something with mirrors to reflect the moon light…then he…Clawed me…”

Lugh sighed deeply. “He drew your blood?”

Derek looked down and nodded slowly. Lugh tapped the table slowly thinking.

“Here’s  what I think the deal is then…Someone wants you to help them re-enact what happened…Don’t know who or why…but it seems the best bet.”

“And Stiles? Why him?” Derek stepped closer to Stiles and looked down at him, worry and anger flashing over his features.

“Like I said…He has gifts that some may not want him finding….and…” He sipped slowly at his mug. “He’s your protection.”

Stiles smirked up at Derek. “Yeah! Right! Me? I’m his protection? Have you looked at me? I’m a spastic mess of sinew and sarcasm! How am I his protection!”

Lugh eyed him. “You are. You know you are. As he knows that you are.” He looked up at Derek who ducked his head and looked away.

Puck made a growl at Lugh. “I’m getting to it!”

He stood up. “Here’s what you two need to do. I and my snarly friend need to head out to strengthen the borders. You two are to stay put. In fact…follow me.”

He headed towards the bedroom where Stiles had been laid out.

Derek turned to Stiles. “What friend is he talking about!”

Stiles jerked his head back and looked over at Puck smiling at him. He pointed nervously at him. “You…don’t see…him?”

Derek’s eyes followed the finger and looked at the empty spot on the table. “I don’t see anything.” He murmured looking with concerned eyes at Stiles.

“He’s right there! Standing on the table…Looks like a three year old…with fangs and cat ears…”

Derek’s eyes widened. Puck turned around and bent over and began wiggling his ass at Derek. Derek stepped forward sniffing the area.

“Uhhm.” Stiles chuckled. “You may not want to go any closer!” Derek stopped inches away from the tiny blue behind.

Puck turned around and blew him a kiss then vanished. Stiles covered his mouth to hide the smile.

Derek’s eyes got wide his eyebrows up. “What?!”

“Nothing. Nothing. Come on and let’s see what Lugh’s got planned.”

 

* * *

 

Around the bed Lugh had drawn a chalk circle with runes. He was carefully spreading a ring of salt around the circle. He turned and brushed his hands carefully.

“Ok. Now. This is where the two of you need to stay.”

Derek and Stiles exchanged shy glances.  Derek’s breath hitched softly.

Stiles voice squeaked. “Uhhmm. Together? In this little bed?”

Lugh smirked. “Obviously. I have a ward around my property and another around the house itself…But if it breaks…this one will be near impossible to cross.”

Lugh shook his head at them. “Oh! Come on boys…man up. It’s not like I’m forcing you into something that you didn’t want.”

Stiles blushed furiously and Derek shuffled slightly on his feet.

“Ok. Go get washed up. Go potty…brush your teeth…Then I’ll tuck you both in before I head off to kill some nasties…Ok?” He grinned and his eyes sparkled with mirth.

Stiles returned to the bedroom and pulled on a clean t-shirt and his batman boxers. Derek sat up on the bed and eyed him nervously.

“You took a shower?”

Stiles looked down at his feet and nodded. “yeah…Felt all grungy.” Derek’s nostrils flared. His cheeks reddened. “I didn’t…” he looked at his dirt streaked body. “I just…brushed my teeth.”

Stiles nodded. “well…that’s ok.”

Derek jumped up and grabbed his bag. “What are you doing?” Stiles asked nervously.

Derek held his bag to his chest and swallowed nervously. “Uhm. Think I’ll take a shower…too…” he turned and fled from the room. He came back in his head down. “Could I uhmm. Borrow some underwear…I…don’t usually…wear…”

Stiles bit his lip and nodded, pulling out a pair of Scooby-doo boxers he handed them to Derek. Derek nodded and grabbed them. He paused to look down at them. He held them back up with a frown.

“Really? Stiles?”

Stiles shrugged. “What? They’re comfy.”

Derek shook his head slowly and padded to the bathroom.

Stiles sat back nervously on the bed. He opened a book and flipped through the pages. He couldn’t make heads or tails of what it said. He huffed and closed it.

When he opened his eyes he saw Puck sitting crossed legged on the foot of the bed. He tried not to squeal in fright. Puck tapped the book and then rubbed his eyes.

Stiles looked at him. “I…can’t read it…It’s in some weird language.”

Puck uncurled and began inching towards Stiles. Stiles scuttled back slightly. “Please don’t scare me again because I just showered and I don’t want to pee myself!”

Puck leaned forward and licked across Stiles’ eyes. Then sat back and patted the book.

“Uhm. Gross…” Stiles wiped at his face and looked at the creature eyeing him. “Thanks?”

Puck shook his head and tapped the book again, and nodded down to it. Stiles blinked at him then opened the book.

The words swam strangely and then reformed. They were crystal clear and in English…” Stiles looked up and smiled. “Awesome!” he reached out and stroked Puck’s hand. “Thank you!”

The creature purred happily and nuzzled against Stiles’ hand. “Friend” It squeaked. Stiles laughed and nodded. “Yeah! Friend. Cool.” Puck blinked contentedly and vanished.

 

* * *

 

When Derek returned Stiles had to stop his mouth from dropping open.

Derek stood drying his hair, his eyes blinking nervously up at Stiles. Stiles had never thought that Scooby doo underwear could even look sexy. But. They did.

He coughed and fumbled the book down and quickly pulled up the covers over himself. Derek stepped cautiously over the chalk and salt and sat against the bed. “Do you mind if I don’t wear a shirt…I get…pretty hot.” He mumbled.

Stiles eyes fixated on his back only mumbled back. “Pretty hot.”

Derek turned to look at him. Stiles pulled the covers up to his chin nervously. “What?!” He squeaked again. Derek waved his t-shirt at him. “You don’t mind?”

Stiles shook his head quickly, eyes trying in vain not to scan down Derek’s bare chest and rippling abs. ‘Nope.No…no shirt…ok.”

Derek took a deep calming breath and tossed the shirt to the chair. He inched back and tucked his legs under the cover. When he was fully stretched out, he turned to look at Stiles. “You have enough room?” Stiles nodded.

Lugh entered wearing jeans and an oversized sweater, an old knit cap pulled down over his head. He chuckled slightly.

“Ok. Boys all snug and cozy?”

Stiles nodded and Derek sighed.

“Ok then. Until the morning stay put. I’m off. Puck has some friends who will be watching the house. He and I are heading to walk the perimeter. If you need to get up, just try to get back in here as quickly as you can. The more you cross the ward the weaker it becomes…”

He clapped his hands. “So, now I’m off.” He raised his hands and Stiles could see a distinct warm golden glow rise up from the circle surrounding the bed. “It’s in place. Sweet dreams!” He gave them a mischievous smile and closed the door.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok So gets a "M" rating...be warned...had to happen.

The two of them stared up at the roughhewn beams overhead. Stiles tried to make his breath as even and calm as possible, and stop his mind from continually yelling “You are in bed with Derek freaking Hale!” over and over again. He could feel his pulse jumping wildly at the thought that mere inches away was a half-naked sex god, who was also his so called “mate” whatever the hell that entailed…

He furrowed his brow in thought. “Was that legally binding? Could they open up checking accounts together?”  He carefully lifted his arms and tucked one beneath his head and looked sideways over at Derek. He had his eyes closed softly but Stiles knew he was awake from the tension of his clenching jaw. Derek turned slowly facing away. Stiles felt him take a deep breath in and out.

Stiles could feel Derek’s firm backside pressed against his leg. The heat pouring off Derek was like a living, breathing,electric blanket. Stiles nervously cleared his throat. “Uhmm. You sleepy?”

Derek grunted softly. Stiles lifted slightly to look over at him. “Was that a yes or a no? I don’t speak Cujo!” Derek grunted and shrugged his shoulder up slowly. Stiles pressed his lips together and flopped his head back. The tension in the air was palpable.

“Okaaay.” Stiles scooted up against the headboard, his fingers fidgeting restlessly twisting the sheet. He reached down and pulled up the book he had abandoned. He hefted it up and opened the pages, and flipped on the small bedside light. He turned to see Derek stretch his neck up, looking over his shoulder at him.

“Are you reading?” he asked.

“Well...Yeah. I’m not…sleepy…so…”

Derek turned slowly over to look at him. He eyed the book, his eyebrow rose and he looked at Stiles. “How the hell can you read that.” He sat up closer to look at the pages. “It’s like garbley- gook…makes no sense.” Stiles had suddenly forgotten how to formulate words because Derek’s very hot and very broad shoulder was pressing into his stomach, and making his body do tingly things. Derek looked up at him, his eyes wide and curious. Stiles licked his lips nervously. “I can…Read. This.” Derek furrowed his brow and gave him a slight smile. “Really? How?”

Stiles shook his head. “Puck…spit…long story…”

Derek raised his eyebrows and tilted his head at him. “Oh? Ok…I guess.” He laid back down eyes still on Stiles. “So what is it about?”

 Stiles pulled his eyes from the earnest expression on Derek’s face and turned back to the text.

“It is talking about plant energy…How you can tap into the natural world to…uhm..augment your own strength. Something about the collective mind of the trees…” Derek smirked and rolled his eyes.

“Sounds fascinating…Have anything in there about getting trees to kill hags or creepy eyeball clouds?” He chuckled slightly. Stiles nodded and grinned. “I’ll keep reading…I’ll let you know.”

Derek pulled himself up and closed his eyes, his leg inching slowly over Stiles’. Stiles hands grasped the book tightly as he felt the leg press down softly over his.

“Are you too crowded?” Derek murmured, his eyes still closed.

“No. It’s fine…You get comfy…” He realized his heartbeat must be a drum solo in Derek’s ears. Derek only smiled softly and dug his head into his pillow deeper. Stiles waited for something…a sign or a movement, but when Derek continued to lie still he turned back to the book with a sigh and read.

The quiet of the house descended over them. Stiles slowly flipped through the book. Some of the incantations seemed elaborate, some silly and so easy sounding that he doubted their effectiveness. He caught a movement and looked over to see Derek watching him with his sea green eyes glittering with amusement. He smiled at him.

“What?”

“You move your lips when you read.” Derek smiled shyly at him. Stiles blushed slightly under the scrutiny of those eyes.

“I…I do?” He swallowed. Derek nodded again with a chuckle.

“Even reading that mouth of yours has to move.” He closed his eyes and smiled into the pillow. He cracked one open slightly at Stiles. “Still not sleepy?”

Stiles closed the book. “Sorry…You want to sleep? I’ll turn off the light.”

Derek opened his eyes and held him. “Ok.”

Stiles placed down the book slowly and with a shaking hand turned off the lamp. He pushed himself down under the covers and looked back up at the ceiling.

The only sound in the quiet was the slow inhale and exhale of their breaths. Stiles felt his body shaking nervously.

“Are you cold? You’re shivering.” Derek whispered.

Stiles nodded slightly. “A bit…I should try to find another blanket.” He started to sit up. A hot hand gripped his waist and pulled him closer.

Gradually he felt Derek’s hand creeping softly over his leg, sending faint burst of electricity through him. It trailed over his stomach circling softly. He felt Derek’s breath hot against his chest. Cautiously he allowed his hand to reach out and stroke Derek’s arm, gently coaxing him forward

“Curl up next to me.” He felt Derek’s broad chest pressing against his back. The electric current of pleasure that ran up and down his spine made his breath catch. 

“This ok?” Derek breathed into his neck. Stiles nodded in response against his pillow.

“It feels warm…good.” He sighed. Derek slowly inched his arm over his body, his hand pausing against Stiles’ chest. Stiles nervously reached his own hand up and placed it over his and pressed it to him. He felt Derek lean closer, holding him tighter.

“It feels good.” Derek sighed again against him. His nose softly tracing against the arch of Stiles’ neck.  Stiles could feel his stubble brushing along the hair line softly.

Stiles pushed deeper against him and turned his head slightly. “You…. You can kiss me…if you want to…” He pressed his lips together nervously awaiting the response.

Derek exhaled shakily against him, then slowly, gently began kissing at his neck. Stiles body seemed to melt into the touches. His bone and muscle became liquid under the soft caresses. A soft moan escaped his lips. Derek cautiously turned him over and pulled him tightly to his chest. Stiles eyes met his. They stared wordlessly for a moment in the half light, and then with an ease and bravado he never knew he possessed Stiles leaned forward and kissed Derek. It started out soft, hesitant, gentle. He pulled back to look at Derek, his eyes closed, face serene and calm. He looked so fragile, so young. Stiles’ hands pulled him in again allowing himself to explore and taste each kiss deeper and deeper. He felt Derek pressing himself hard and needy against his thigh. He let his fingers travel slowly down his back, thrilling at the shivering and groans it elicited from Derek.

“Stiles!” Derek buried his head into Stiles chest. “God…This…This is what I…you?”

Stiles pulled him up and kissed him silent. He found himself atop Derek his hands holding him down. He looked down at him in wonder. He could feel Derek’s need beneath him, hot and throbbing. His own need straining against his boxer’s painfully.

Derek dropped his arms and looked up at him, his chest heaving, his breath huffing out in surprised bursts.  His eyes suddenly looked worried as he looked up at Stiles.

“We…we don’t need…to do anything…”

Stiles chuckled down at him leaning across his body to press down against his lips. “Are you kidding me? Do you know how many nights I dreamt of this! Of you!” Stiles felt the flush of heat race up his body.

Derek chuckled nervously against his lips. “Stiles…you don’t know…I’ve dreamt…about this too!”

Stiles slowly stretched up. His hands pushing down Derek’s body, a finger tugging at the boxers beneath him. He looked up at Derek, amazed at his bravado. “Then let’s see if dreams can come true.”

He smiled again and dipped his mouth down to Derek’s stomach trailing kisses slowly down his rippled abs. Derek arched beneath him with a groan. Derek’s hands covered Stiles’ head leading him gently down. Gently hesitantly Stiles licked and stroked at Derek. His nose buried in his dark hair, breathing in the warm musk of him. Derek pushed himself up and lifted Stiles. He cradled him against his chest pulling him into a deep kiss, their tongues entwined, probing and twisting softly. He laid Stiles down softly, positioning his hips near Stiles and crept down slowly kissing and nipping along Stiles body as he made his way down. Stiles leaned in, hands cupping Derek tightly as Derek’s mouth engulfed him fully.

Stiles groaned at the thrill of pleasure that coursed through him. He pulled his head back to catch his breath at the explosion of sensation Derek’s hot mouth brought him.

“Holy! God!” He groaned gasping. He felt his balls tighten as Derek sucked deeper and deeper against him. Derek’s tongue lashed out and caressed against him, probing along his balls, his nose snuffling deeper against Stiles. Stiles resumed his caressing, his fingers searching and probing following Derek’s movements. When he touched Derek’s hole, he felt Derek shiver against him, quickening his motions. Derek groaned and lapped deeper and deeper into Stiles, spreading his legs. Stiles matched his motions, allowing something new and primal to rise from within him. He grasped Derek and pulled and lapped at him with abandon. Derek arched his back and growled with pleasure.

“Stiles! I need…I need!” He gathered Stiles up and pulled him on top of his lap. He buried his head against his chest panting. “I need you…I need you…” His voice was deep and gravelly against Stiles chest making him shiver at the deep urgency of it.

He clasped his hands around Derek’s neck and nodded. “Yes. Derek. Yes.”

Derek teeth pressed gently against his neck, licking and nipping. Stiles felt the steady pressure of Derek against him.

Stiles smiled down at him and positioned himself slowly lowering until Derek could feel the hot warmth over the tip of his penis. Stiles stopped and breathed deeply opening himself, offering more and more to Derek.  Derek felt the heat rage through him, he watched Stiles through his half-closed eyes, could feel his claws gripping the  mattress. Stiles teeth bit down on his lips as the pain flashed over his face and a small whimper escaped his mouth. Derek fought the urge to lift up into him. Fought the wolf’s drive to take what was his. He bit down on his own lip as the pleasure and warmth sucked him in. Stiles leaned forward and pulled his mouth to his.

“Now.” He breathed into Derek’s mouth. “Derek…Now…Fuck me.” Derek nearly howled with pleasure as he and Stiles began to move together.

His hands reaching and touching over Stiles, loving every small goose bump, every wisp of hair. He pushed up to take Stiles mouth against his, feeling every thrust explode out in Stiles’ gasping breath. He cradled Stiles’ penis in his hand and matched his strokes with every thrust of his hips. Stiles stretched back with a choked sobbing sound.

Stiles eyes opened and looked down at Derek spent and smiling beneath him. He laughed at the scene. It was like a living dream.

It was as if a piece of his heart that had been missing was finally returned…all polished, clean and new.

His fingers traced down Derek’s sweaty chest, swirling around the raised muscles. Derek was looking up at him, his eyes serious, studying him. Stiles silently leaned down and kissed him gently. They kissed gently and wordlessly, their eyes opened and searching each other.

“Stiles…”Derek whispered against him. Stiles leaned back and saw him glowing softly. He blinked at the deep blues, and faint lavenders and pulsating gold. “I love you.” Derek choked back the word. His eyes blurring with tears. “I…love you.” Stiles blinked back his sudden tears and nodded. He saw Derek look away suddenly. There was a cold chill that ran over Stiles’ body. “I’m sorry…this shouldn’t…I shouldn’t…”

Stiles looked at him and shook his head slowly. The grey and black swirling over Derek’s chest suddenly appeared pulsing and shifting with Derek’s heartbeat. Stiles bent down his hand against Derek’s chest. He lowered his trembling lips to Derek’s mouth. He held Derek and kissed him deeply. Derek blinked back his tears.

“You belong here…I belong here. We are together…You and me…It’s what it is. Right?”

Derek looked up at him with wide eyes. Stiles pulled him up and positioned himself between his legs.

Without realizing what he was doing Stiles found himself slowly entering Derek. Derek tossed his head from side to side and whimpered. Steadily Stiles pushed himself in, his hand pressing down to cover the black inky light. It didn’t belong here. It wasn’t a part of Derek. It wasn’t his. Derek spread his legs up and over Stiles’ shoulder and bit his lip holding back the groan that was building in his throat.

Steadily Stiles moved against him, matching the soft undulating of Derek’s hips. His breath calmed as he stroked a soft circle over Derek’s chest.

“I love you Derek.” He whispered. Derek’s eyes caught him. A bright red feral look flashing through them. Stiles held him down with his hands. A faint silvery blue light spreading from his fingers erasing the blackness carefully, gradually, over Derek’s chest.

 “I’m yours…Stiles…I’m yours…” Derek choked out through his tears. Stiles gripped him tightly and stroked him gently, matching his thrusts. Derek threw back his head and howled as Stiles plunged deeper and released within him. Stiles collapsed atop of him. Their hands groping and holding each other tightly. Derek’s mouth found his and they kissed and lapped at each other.

The room flared a bright warm gold, as Stiles collapsed against his chest. Derek nuzzled his head softly, a smile wide across his face in wonder and awe. “Mine.” He whispered contently.  He rubbed his chest softly realizing that the dull ache he had always carried was gone. Stiles gripped him tightly, his lips planting a soft trail over his shoulder.

He looked up and blinked back the tears. “You are mine.”


	17. Chapter 17

Waking up with someone’s arms and legs wrapped around you, their breath warm against your skin, their scent mingled in yours; must be one of the world’s most defining and beautiful moments.

Derek lay still against this moment. The faint glow of the morning made everything look new, clean and bright. He felt new. Changed and reborn somehow.

He could feel the even soft moving of Stiles’ breathing, contented and restful. He closed his eyes and smiled softly into the pillow that somehow they were both sharing.

Derek moved his arm up and it wrapped protectively around Stiles’ waist pulling him gently against him. He was torn between watching him silently, or waking him and resuming their mutual exploration of one another.

Stiles body quivered into him and he sighed softly snuggling against Derek. The newness of this comfort made him blink in surprise at how powerful an impact it was having on him. He had never felt this kind of…rapport with anyone ever.  He never realized that the act of making love really was that…love. The twisting thought of Kate caught in his gut.

It had been so wrong now looking back at it in the light of Stiles’ lovemaking. It had been harsh, needy and ultimately one dimensional. It was all about power…Hers. She controlled him, moved and manipulated him. Even her kisses had been all about her dominance. How he had ever thought they had held love for him was ludicrous.

 With Stiles it had been like a dancing, slow and gentle, clumsy and poignant. He blushed slowly remembering Stiles holding him down, forcing his submission, entering him. The wolf in him had nearly refused, but looking at Stiles warm eyes and feeling his gentle hands comforting and caring over his hot flesh had calmed and reassured his fearful, hurt soul. Now all the wolf wanted was Stiles. Again and again and again. The warm stirring in his groin was proof of that. He licked his lips and bent down over the young man with a small smile.  

“I can tell you’re not sleeping.” Derek softly murmured against Stiles’ neck. His nose inching down Stiles’ neck, rubbing against him softly. Stiles smiled into his pillow. “Do I need to help you wake up?” Derek chuckled against him. His lips slowly moving lower over Stiles shoulders, his hand rubbing over Stiles’ hip. Stiles couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped.

“Uhm. Technically this would be the third time you…Uhmm. ‘Woke me Up’”

Derek laughed and pressed his forehead against Stiles’ back. Stiles turned over suddenly and grappled him down beneath him.

Derek looked up with wide eyes and an even wider smile. Just looking at him smiling like that…so carefree, so happy…made Stiles pause looking down at him and shake his head in wonder.  “What?” Derek smiled up at him.

“Just this…You…” Stiles smiled at him and bent down to kiss him gently.  “You are so beautiful.”

Derek’s eyebrows rose up. “‘Beautiful?’ You mean scowling, brooding, grumpy sour wolf is ‘Handsome’.” He smirked slowly.

Stiles bent down again eye to eye. “I said beautiful, and I mean it. Now that I see that smile…All that old stuff…I knew was not really you…This is you.” He stroked Derek’s cheek. “I love to see that smile…I don’t want it to ever go away.”

Derek blinked at him. “Stiles…I…” Stiles leaned down again stopping him with a kiss. “Let’s just…not talk…”

Derek laughed against his lips. “I really have died…and gone to heaven…Sexy Stiles who doesn’t want to talk.”

Stiles ducked his smirk down. “Hardy Har-har. Shut up and kiss me. You were waking me up…remember?”

 

* * *

 

 

After another sweaty and invigorating hour of waking up, Stiles fell backwards over the tangled sheets.

“Not that I don’t like this…I mean really …Really liked this…But…” Stiles looked up at the windows and the brightening daylight. He scrunched his face embarrassedly. “I have to go…to the bathroom.”

Derek looked up from the bed and smiled slowly.  “I’m sure it’s safe to go now.” The birds chirping outside seemed an omen of the area being all clear. Stiles sat up. “I hope Lugh and Puck are ok. Should we go look for them?”

Derek sat up and shrugged slightly. “He seemed pretty confident last night. We should just wait for him to get back…” He paused listening. “Is that your phone?”

Stiles scrambled to dig out his phone from under the pile of bags. He eyed Derek with a shocked embarrassment. “My Dad!” He mouthed.

Derek shook his head with a smirk. “You’d better answer it then.”

Stiles untangled himself from the twisted sheets, hopping and spinning with the phone pressed to his ear he squeaked out. “Hey! Hey there dad!”

“You didn’t call yesterday…Everything ok?” Stiles could picture his father’s furrowed brow and tight lipped worry.

“Dad…sorry. We got in late…A lot of rain slow going. Then …just finding our way around…eating…getting…to the…Dorm.” Stiles watched as Derek stood up and stretched casually, unabashedly naked. He clutched the sheets tighter against his waist and turned away blushing furiously.

“So how is it? You heading to classes soon? Which one this morning?” Derek leaned back against the bed and smiled at him. Stiles widened his eyes at him.

“Uhhmm. Checking out the…Biology department.”

John chuckled. “Biology? Since when? I thought you’d be more interested in their computer programs or maybe even their law courses?”

Derek slowly pulled on his jeans and glanced up at him. “Just uhhmm recently…”

“Hey! They have some cool courses; I was up last night checking them out…Nanoscale science and engineering…I mean how… cool.”

“Listen Dad…I love you. But got to get…going…”

“Hey! How is Derek doing? He not bored?”

Stiles chuckled softly looking over to Derek stretching back onto the bed. “Nah. Think he’s getting into the scene…”

“Good. I mean…He’s so …well… kind of standoffish…Hey maybe he’ll meet some nice college girl!” John chuckled.  “Anyhow. Be sure to check in ok. I worry. And…ok…Love you…”

“Love you too.” Stiles sighed softly, feeling the guilt that always trailed after lying to his father. “I’ll call tonight! Promise.” He heard his dad’s pause.

“Just…Stay safe…I hate that I’m being all …worry wart, but…well. Anyhow. Love you kiddo…”

“Right back at you.” He hung up and frowned looking down at the phone.

“You ok?” Derek pulled on a shirt and looked at him with a concerned raise of his eyebrows.

Stiles gave him a smile and nodded. “Yeah.”

A loud thump was heard outside the room. Derek growled and leapt from the bed pulling Stiles behind him. The door opened slowly and Lugh poked his head in, his hand covering his eyes. He peeked through his fingers, his eyes twinkling with a subtle knowing.

Puck pushed in wide eyed and smiling at them, nodding his head with glee.

“All better are we?” he eyed Stiles who was desperately trying to cover as much of his naked skin as he could. He raised an appraising look at Derek.

“Seems the circle did its work. You look years younger.” Puck sniffing at him gave a nod of approval.

Derek opened and closed his mouth and looked at Stiles with a confused expression. Lugh chuckled.

 “Nothing better for clearing the spirit than a good flushing of the pipes! Now I’m hungry, tired and in need of some ‘spiritual’ healing myself.” He waved a flask at them. “So let’s get the day going! Hup two you lads!” He closed the door.

Stiles shrugged at Derek and quickly gathered his clothes.

“Don’t ask me! He’s a Druid…They are supposed to be mysterious!”

 

* * *

 

 

When Lugh said it was time to study he meant it was time to study. Derek was banished from the house and Stiles was deposited at the table with piles of books, parchment and assorted paraphernalia that he felt as if he had fallen into a new branch of Hogwarts.

Derek grumbled at Lugh. “I won’t distract him! I just want to see what you are making him do!”

Lugh rolled his eyes at him. “Lad! Don’t be such a baby! He’s fine…He can be separated from you…for a few hours.”

Derek actually pouted and looked at Stiles. “I’ll just sit here!” he sat down quickly and looked up at Lugh with wide eyes. Stiles opened his mouth to throw in his support when Lugh turned on him with a stern look.

“No! and No! Now out ye go! Go chase down some rabbits…or even better…” He smirked.

“Hey Boyo! Why don’t you go play with Derek?” Puck appeared next to Stiles’ chair making him jump back with a squeak.

He eyed Puck’s eager and mischievous grin. He suddenly remembered the last two hunters that Puck had played with. “Uhmm. Lugh? That going to be…safe?”

Lugh chuckled. “Peshaw! Puck won’t do any…lasting damage. It will be a great training experience…Seeing if ‘Big Bad Brawn’ can keep up with sneaky quickness.”

Derek’s eyes went from one to the other. “What the hell are the two of you talking about?”

Stiles huffed softly. “Puck…The Sidhe…or Trickster…guy…He…I guess wants to train with you?” Puck nodded joyfully at Derek.

“Uh. I guess so…” Derek stood up and looked around searching for him. “Where is it?”

Puck covered his mouth and chuckled deeply with mirth, then vanished.

Stiles looked around for him. Lugh chuckled and pulled out a chair and settled down across from Stiles. He shared a quick look of sneaky bliss with him.

“Tha’s the test. You find and catch him. If he feels you’ve earned it…You’ll get to see him! Sounds good right?”

Derek looked around again. “So when will it….Hey!” Derek jumped forward with a snarl.

Stiles jumped up. “What?”

Derek spun around looking and sniffing cautiously. “Something just pinched my aAAHH!” He yelped and cupped his behind.

Stiles covered his mouth to stop the laugh that nearly erupted.

Lugh wasn’t as subtle.

“Ha! He scored! Now take it outside boys! Oh…and Puck! No blood…at least in the house!”

Derek gave him a scowl and flung the door open. “Mine or his!” he growled savagely pulling off his shirt and shifting.

Lugh rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Boy’s full of hisself…Puck’ll take him down a notch or two…Now you! Read! We’ve got a lot to cover.”

 

* * *

 

Stiles blinked up sleepily from the latest book. Lugh shoved another steaming mug at him. “Drink it! And Continue!” He ordered.

Stiles sighed and stretched his legs out with an aching groan. His blurred eyes turned back towards the book. He groaned. “Aw. Not more runes!”

Lugh slid a plate of curly fries at him. Stiles looked up with a wide smile! “Awesome!”

Lugh smirked at him “Now shut the yap and keep going!”

 

After another hour a frustrated howl shook the house causing Stiles to jump up and rush to the door. He flung it open to find Derek sweaty and growling in frustration.

“You ok?” His eyes went wide looking at Derek’s head. It was tightly braided and weaved with grasses and flowers. The flowers dotted and tucked in snugly over his head.

Stiles pressed his lips together tightly trying to hold in his laugh. Derek flashed angry eyes at him and pushed past him to fling himself down at the table.

Derek gestured at his head. “He fucking braided my hair!”

Stiles nodded swiftly, his sides heaving in an effort to contain his laughter.

Derek huffed and turned at him. “This! This is funny to you!” He widened his eyes in exasperation!

Stiles couldn’t help but nod and fall forward dissolving in raucous joy.

Puck appeared next to him and joined in with his high pitched chuckles. Stiles looked up at Derek’s still furious face. He saw a small twitch at the corner of Derek’s mouth. “Come on! You have to agree this is fucking classic…”

Derek ducked his head down with a chuckle. “Son of a bitch…”

Stiles smirked and nodded at Puck and whispered softly. “You really got him good!”

With a blur of motion Derek was across the room rolling with a crash into the wall.

Stiles jumped out of the way and turned to see Derek holding Puck tightly in his arms. Derek flashed Stiles a smile. “Got ‘em!”

Puck snarled and thrashed but Derek held him tight. “I may not be able to see you! But Stiles can! He looked right at you!”

Lugh clapped his hands. “Well done! Well done! Hmm. Good looks and smarts? Stiles you landed a good one! Ok Puck, boyo, a deals a deal!”

Derek looked down at the small figure in his hands and gave a small gasp letting Puck down with wide eyes. Puck scowled at him, but then with a roll of his eyes extended his hand grudgingly towards Derek. Derek looked at him with wonder and gave him a smile.

He shook the small hand. “Nice to meet you Puck.”

Puck gave him a solemn nod, then turned and gave Stiles a thumbs up.

“I guess this means you’ve been accepted.” Stiles said with a smile. “Now…let’s see if we can…umm…deflower your head!”


	18. Chapter 18

 

It was nearly midnight by the time Lugh had allowed Stiles a respite from the books and miscellaneous activities. Stiles stretched and groaned as every muscle in his cramped body snapped back into position.

Derek sitting across from him was still scowling as Puck straddled over his shoulder, purred and smoothed his hair, picking gingerly at his hair with a contented smile. Derek’s eyes looked up as the creature fluffed and petted his hair.

Stiles chuckled. “I think you’ve made a friend.” Stiles waggled his eyebrow at Derek.

Derek smirked softly and nodded. “As long as I don’t look like a flower girl at a wedding I’m happy.”

Lugh handed Stiles his phone. “ I called my friend at the garage, he will return the jeep here tomorrow. By the way…You have some missed calls. I’m assuming you forgot to call back your father.”

“Crap!” Stiles grabbed the phone and scrambled to the bedroom to call him.

Lugh sat down and regarded Derek. Derek returned the gaze, but found himself having difficulty holding it. Something about Lugh reminded him of his mother. He carried himself with an authority that even Derek’s Alpha nature acknowledged.

“You know we haven’t had a chance to really discuss just what is going on.” Lugh began. His finger traced a pattern on the table as he thought.  Derek sat up straight and at attention, his eyes focused on Lugh’s fingers moving. “ I understand why you did what you did…removing Stiles’ memories…” He looked up at Derek. “But you did it without realizing the full impact of your actions…You do realize that now don’t you?”

Derek sighed and bowed his head. “I just wanted to protect him…keep him safe.”

Lugh chuckled. “Ignorance is bliss?” He shook his head. “We can never escape our natures, son. It’s like the tide. It may recede but it’s still there and sooner or later in rolls back in…But that is only the first part of this…We need to discuss your uncle and the ritual he did…to you.”

His eyes held Derek.

Derek blinked slowly at him. “I…I told you…he used the mirrors to reflect the moon light…he clawed me…and Lydia…”

“Ah yes…Lydia…She interests me…Stiles told me a little about her...” Lugh rubbed his beard thoughtfully. “How does she fit into this puzzle?  Why did he choose her…I hate when I can’t fit the pieces together.” He grumbled and poured himself a mug of whiskey.

Derek rose an eyebrow at him. Lugh looked down at his glass and chuckled. “For inspiration! Me lad!” He took a swig and wiped his whiskers with a satisfied smile. “Now. Back to the matter at hand. You and Stiles.”

Puck carefully climbed down off Derek and say cross legged on the table his eyes scanning from one to the other.

Derek looked down at his hands. “I’m not sure what…it all means…”He hung his head. “He is so young…I didn’t want this…But I did. I do… I just really can’t explain…” Derek felt the heat of shame creep up his face, and at the same moment a snaking of a smile slide across his lips. Lugh chuckled slightly at him.

“So conflicted boyo! There is passion and there is love…hard to delineate… but then for you… Your nature is just that…two sides…Of course you can’t explain it. In this you are still the smallest, most innocent of pups.” Lugh frowned sadly. “Your mother never had a chance to explain it…so…it’s up to me I guess.” Lugh tapped the table.

Derek waited eyes focused on the druid. “When you were younger…You and Stiles were close, I know this because I heard it from both your mother and Stella…What they hadn’t realized was that you and he became more…bound… to one another. I said mates…which is true…but not really as clear as what you two really are.”

Derek looked up startled. “Isn’t mates a…big deal? I mean…” Derek cautiously looked at him. “Isn’t that…what we are?”

Lugh sighed. “It is and it isn’t. That’d be yer wolf side thinking…Mates are important for pack business. Someone to lead and protect the pack with…I’m talking a more ‘human’ thing…You are bound…somehow. You two are like mismatched pairs of socks. One with the other. They may not look like they don’t go together but once worn feel perfect…comfy. I think you are soul mates…Compliments. One to the other. Where you are strong he is weak. Where you lack…he abounds…”

“How is that different? Isn’t that what mates are?”

“Like I said…That’s more the wolfy side of you.  Mates are for mating…having cubs, protecting territories, keeping order….Some are perfect mates…like your father and mother…But in a different light…Stella was your mother’s soul mate.”

Derek startled. “What do you mean? My…Mother and Stella? They were…?”

Lugh chuckled and held up his hands. “Not like that!” He shook his head. “Always the sex confusion with your generation! Love and sex aren’t always interchangeable! Love! Real love is deep and enduring…Sex! Well! it can just be a body function! As quick and transitory and meaningful…as a good poop! If there is no love…”

Derek squirmed as thoughts of Kate straddling over him, smiling triumphantly down at him rose to his mind. He nodded slowly.

“No. Those two were bound. As girls all those years back growing up. One complimented the other. It was no surprise to me that years later Fate pulled them back together. The warrior and the healer, the leader and the counselor.” Lugh shook his head sadly. “My poor Stella…always trying to out run her destiny…”

He sipped slowly at his mug. Puck leaned his head and softly rubbed against the older man’s shoulder. Lugh pressed his lips and gave him a soft smile.  “She was wihout a doubt a formidable player in this game. But…she chose to withdraw, live a normal life, married a normal guy…have a normal family.” Lugh eyed Derek seriously. “It can’t be done. Once you begin swimming this river, there is no turning back. Stiles and you began swimming it from birth. You are carrying on the destiny your two mothers began. Fate is a bitch! A flaming hot hairy arse hole full of pain. ”He took another long draught and sighed. “One way or another she’ll get you.”

Derek leaned back in exasperation. “I don’t understand what you are trying to tell me! How the hell does our relationship…Stiles and me? What is this?” Derek held out his hands trying to make some sense of his ramblings.

“Don’t you get it yet? Your pulling his memories has set off a chain of shit that has lead you both here! Your sister’s death…Peter becoming an alpha! Stiles best friend, Scott, being the one taken by Peter…This girl Lydia…the only girl Stiles ever cared about….They are just all flotsam and jetsom in the wake of your one act.”

Derek stared with wide eyes at him. “You mean…”

Lugh huffed and leaned forward. “They are all designed to pull you both back together…You and Stiles. You cannot be who you were meant to be without him. Just as he cannot be whom he was meant to be without…You!”

Derek sat back eyes wide as the impact of Lugh’s words descended over him. “You mean everything that has happened…Everything we did…Is because I took his memories…Because I tried to stop…Us?”

Lugh arched his eyebrow and gave a soft shrug. “I’m no Oracle…I’m really only guessing and putting together the pieces as best I can…But it does seem that because you tried to change what was meant to be, a  lot of variables…That may or may not have come together…did.”

 

Derek startled and looked up as Stiles entered the room. “My dad is good! He broke down and admitted he ate a bacon double cheeseburger….but the indigestion was punishment enough…” He paused and studied Derek’s face. “Everything…ok?” He cautiously sat next to Derek, his eyes shifting from one to the other. Without thinking Derek placed his hand gently over his knee. Their eyes caught, and Derek felt the overwhelming desire to pull him close and hold him. As if reading his mind Stiles draped an arm over his broad shoulder and leaned against him.

Lugh gave them a smirk. “It’s time to talk.” He eyed Derek. “Honestly.” Derek swallowed and nodded.

 

* * *

 

Stiles watched as Derek paced the room and talked. Each new story of the two of them together clicked and whirred back to life in his head, like an old forgotten movie that Derek was narrating.

When he talked about Kate and what she did to him, Stiles felt the hot bile rise in his throat. He wished he had known what she had done, wished he could erase the painful look of Derek’s eyes as he spoke of her and her twisted games. He grit his teeth. He would have thrown the Molotov cocktail at her instead of Peter if he had known.  The agony Derek must have felt, carrying the thought that he had allowed her access to his family…used him so completely and horribly. When Derek turned his tear streaked face to him he almost bolted to grab him, the pain was so real in his own chest. Lugh’s firm hand held him in place.

He gave Stiles a stern look. “Let him do this!” He whispered. Puck whimpered, eyes wide watching Derek’s frantic pacing. Stiles pressed his lips together and nodded.

“I went to you…I didn’t know why or how but then I was just… there and you were holding me….” His chest shuddered at the memory. “All I wanted was to be with you. I…had just lost…everyone…Everyone I had ever….Loved.” He stopped and looked at Stiles. “ When Laura came…She knew the hunters were coming…I…couldn’t bear the thought of losing you…hurting you….” He swallowed painfully. “My only…friend…” He rubbed at his eyes roughly, looking away. “Laura…knew…she had been right…about how I felt…about you!” He closed his eyes at the memory.

_She sighed and looked at him. “He smells like you…” Derek rolled his eyes at her. “You’re imagining things…I haven’t seen him in two days…”_

_“No. I mean…He smells like…yours…” Derek startled. “What the hell does that mean?”_

_She began biting her lip. “Just…Uhm…What is your…relationship with him?”_

_Derek shrugged. “A friend…someone to hang with…talk too…”_

_She looked up quickly. “Nothing else? Nothing more…”_

_He shook his head confusedly and then looked up with a horrified expression as her words sunk in. “What the fuck are you trying to say?” His voice got low and a new dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. “He’s a kid…for Christ’s sake! Jesus! Laura what do you think I am?”_

_She grimaced.  “I’m sorry! It’s just so weird…How he seemed like…bound to you! I don’t know! Derek you have been so weird…secretive lately…and the way you look at him…the way he looks at you!”_

_Derek grit his teeth. He felt his heart beat begin to pound painfully. “He’s a kid. Just a kid.” He said again. He lunged up from the chair and began pacing. “You’re sick…For even thinking that!” Laura stood up quickly and held out her hands. “Der! Der! Calm down. I’m sorry. Really. I just didn’t know…And…”_

_“Just get the fuck out of here!” he snarled at her. She bowed her head and began to leave. She stopped and looked back at him. “I know you would never…Do anything…I just wanted to ask…”_

_“What!” He roared. She sighed again, head still bent down. “Do you love him?”_

_Derek slowly sank into the chair as his heart pounding as if he had just run a mile. He looked up at her his eyes frightened. She nodded slowly and left. “He’s just a kid.” She heard him whisper softly to himself as she closed the door._

 

Derek opened his eyes and stared hard at him. “But I did! I wanted you…God! God! What is wrong with me!” He ground his fists against his eyes and groaned. “I’m sick! You were just a kid…Are a kid! I wanted you! Every time I was near you…I am as twisted as she was! I wanted you…I knew it…I couldn’t stop myself from feeling…” He collapsed down to his knees, his head buried in his hands.

Stiles pulled from Lugh’s hand and stumbled down to gather Derek to his chest. Derek turned his face away from him. Stiles forced him to look at him. His eyes blazing and determined through his own tears. “Look at me God damn you!” Derek slowly opened his eyes and looked at him. “You aren’t like her! And if you ever even think that I’ll…I’ll kick your ass from here to next week!” He cupped Derek’s face.   

“ You loved me! Derek! You loved me…You didn’t use me…or hurt me for your own gains…you loved me enough to…let me go...” Stiles choked on a sob. “When you had no one… and nothing…You loved me enough to leave me behind…So I’d be safe! So I’d be happy…You sacrificed what you wanted…You were so alone! So young! You could never be like her…Because…You know what it is to love someone…And be loved.”

Derek looked at his tear filled eyes and trembling lip and gave a small sob of disbelief. “You love me? Still?”

Stiles pulled him close. His lips covering Derek’s firmly, softly, deliberately. “I never stopped.”


	19. Chapter 19

Lydia dialed Stiles’ number again and pouted as it went to his voicemail. She hated to admit it but she was missing him.

His manic charm definitely had ingratiated himself into her world. She chuckled thinking about how it was going with Derek.

She could only imagine the palpable sexual tension that their eight hour car ride must have held. She threw her phone into her bag and sat back waiting for Alison to disengage herself from Scott’s pitiful puppy eyes.  

The rest of the team had already gotten onto the field. Except for Isaac, who stood waiting and at attention for Scott to acknowledge him. 

She looked down at her watch. She hated waiting. She threw Alison a scornful look which the huntress caught. Alison chuckled and bowed her head at her, but remained talking to Scott. He turned to Lydia and gave her a small chuckle and wave. Lydia threw him a face and waved back.

Settling into the bench she pulled out her notebook to review her notes for their upcoming history test. She had it memorized within a minute.

“You are pretty!” A small voice by her made her startle. She looked up at the young girl smiling down at her. Lydia pushed back her hair and smiled brightly at her.

“Well…Thank you! Aren’t you sweet.”

The little girl sat down next to her.  Lydia looked at her. “Who are you?”

“Just waiting for my sister.” She gestured to some girls running on the track. “We just moved here.” The little girl pulled off a bracelet from her wrist. She held it up and showed it to Lydia. “I just made this. Do you like it?” Lydia smiled and took it gently in her hand to look at it. “It’s very pretty.”

The little girl smiled. “You can have it! I can make another one!” Lydia chuckled and handed it back to her. “That’s sweet…But you keep it.”

The little girl shook her head.  With small hands she laced it over Lydia’s wrist.

“No. You keep it! I want you to have it. I’ll make another one. I think it looks pretty on you!” Lydia held it out and gave it a small shake. She gave the little girl a smile.

“It’s perfect. Thank you!”

The little girl gave her a broad smile and hopped up. “I’m happy you like it!” She got up and skipped away slowly giving Lydia a small farewell wave.

“Made a new friend?” Alison chuckled as she walked over.

Lydia gathered her materials with a smirk. “Someone’s got to be a role model for the next generation.” Alison giggled and nodded.

“We still going to study?”

Lydia laced her arm through her friends. “First I think we need to go get some coffee, and then I need to talk with you about the importance of playing ‘hard to get’” Lydia threw a knowing glance back at Scott who was following Isaac onto the field.

Alison stiffened. “We were just talking! I can still do that…And. I never said I was playing hard to get…”

Lydia nodded. “Right. Right. A cooling off period.” She eyed her friend. “and how is that going? Seeing as you two are spending about as much time together as you did when you were dating?”

Alison huffed. “I know! I just can’t seem to keep away…” She hung her head. “It’s hard.”

Lydia stoked her arm softly. “I get it…When Jackson and I…” She paused looking away.

“You still haven’t heard from him?”

Lydia shook her head slowly. “He was following up on what he learned about his birth family. The private investigator found information about some possible relatives in Utah and Kansas…” She made a face. “If I find he comes from a long line of Mormons or farmers!”

Allison chuckled and squeezed her. “I’m sure you would still be First Wife!”

“Haha…so funny!”

“So how is Stiles enjoying Berkeley? Scott said he hasn’t heard from him.”

Lydia frowned. “Me either…I was hoping for at least a call.” She adjusted her bag. “It’s been four days!”

Alison chuckled and bumped her shoulder into her. “Aw. You missing Stiles?”

Lydia rolled her eyes at her. “Stiles….has certain charms…I’ll finally admit it. But it’s not what you think. And yes…I miss him. I feel like I can be myself with him. The only two people in our group who don’t run with knives or sprout fur.”

Allison snapped her mouth closed tightly and looked away.  “I get it.”

“Hey! Relax. It’s all good. I do understand why you never said anything…I probably would have done the same…It’s just different now. Now, I just need someone who is in the mix.”

Alison laughed. “And I’m not?”

“You have a definite slant to your views.” Allison pulled away and looked at her.

“And you know why!” Lydia pulled her close again.

“Sorry. I just mean…Stiles and I are good…as friends!” she clarified quickly. “He gets me…” Allison nodded again.

“So who was the little girl?”

Lydia shrugged and lifted up her wrist to show her the bracelet. “Some new kid’s sister. She gave me this.” Allison paused and looked at the small beaded bracelet.

“Wow. It’s pretty…” She leaned in looking at it. “Are these seeds? It smells spicy?”

Lydia shook her wrist. “It is pretty though…A little weird, but nice.”

Alison furrowed her brow and turned back to find the little girl who was nowhere to be seen. “Yeah…a little weird.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lydia sat up in her bed listening. The faint glow of moonlight illuminating against her mirror gave the room a faint radiance.

She ran her hands over her face and took a deep breath. She hated the dreams. They sometimes crept back on her when she least expected them; dark and scary full of blood and teeth.

She grit her teeth and curled her fists tightly over her sheets. These were the times she wished she was like Alison. She would love nothing more than to have a crossbow she could launch right into Peter’s fucking head.

She lay back down gathering her breath slowly.

“Lydia?”

She groaned slightly. “I’m ok mom!” She waited for her mother’s usual midnight check in, where she’d come in all concerned and make sure her daughter wasn’t off on a naked moonlit fugue state induced stroll.

The two new locks on the windows were her mother’s way of showing maternal support.

A sudden chill crept up her arm, like a cold hand touching her. She rubbed her arm softly, jostling the bracelet she had forgotten to take off.

“Lydia!” The voice returned more urgent. She slowly sat up eyes wide. At the foot of her bed stood a woman, pale and translucent. Her eyes full of worry and caring. Lydia bit back a shriek and scrambled up against her head board, pulling a pillow between her and the figure.

“Lydia…Sweetheart…Listen to me…” The eyes went wide, desperate as she looked at Lydia. Lydia leaned forward looking at her. Something about those eyes were so familiar…comforting.

The form seemed to be struggling to say something. “…You…must…Stiles…the…bracelet….” A sudden gust of icy air swirled around the room and the image flickered with a cry. “…off…take….off….”

Lydia felt her scream close in her throat as another image appeared. The little girl smiling at her from the foot of her bed regarded her with liquid black eyes. “I’ve come to collect you, my pretty little thing! All the pieces are coming together.” Lydia tried to scramble from the bed, but a cold hard hand grasped her ankle with a burning pain.

She looked into the blank and dead eyes of the girl and then a cold nothingness enveloped her.

 

* * *

 

 

Stiles woke with a panic. His heart pounding in his chest, his breath catching painfully. Derek was up and holding him in an instant. His eyes wide with worry.

“Stiles!” He pulled him to his chest and stroked his back. “Breathe! Breathe!”

Stiles felt the heat and calm pouring into him from Derek. He took a shaky breath and collapsed his head against his shoulder. “I’m ok…Ok. I think.”

Derek pulled back to look at him, eyebrows up with anxious concern. “What? What happened?”

Stiles shook his head slowly. “Don’t know…it was like…a panic attack…All of a sudden I was terrified and felt…Pulled…out of myself?” He stroked his chest softly. Derek placed his hand over Stiles’. He looked intently at him. “Better?”

Stiles nodded slowly. Derek leaned his forehead against Stiles’. Stiles eyes looked up at him with a smile. “Thanks.” Derek chuckled slightly and gently kissed his face.  “Lay back. I’ll help you relax.”  Stiles gave him a sly smile. “Uhm. Your idea of relaxing usually has the opposite effect on me…”

Derek leaned down over him. His lips trailing softly over Stiles’ chest. He raised an eyebrow at him and gave a lopsided smirk. “I could stop…” He licked slowly at Stiles’ nipple. “…if you want?”

Stiles grabbed him and pulled his mouth to his with a laugh. “No…I’m feeling it…”

Derek grinned his hands trailing down Stiles’ stomach to his groin. “Me too!”

The fear and panic soon dissipated as Derek and Stiles found themselves moving together. The steady and familiar flow of their lovemaking filling the night, under the soft illumination of the waxing moon.

 

 

* * *

 

Stiles staggered from the bedroom rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He could hear Lugh’s deep snores from the next room.

He readied the old coffee pot and leaned against the chilly counter waiting.

Derek came padding out silently, his hair ruffled, his face sleep creased. He blinked at Stiles. “You’re up early?” He walked over and pulled Stiles against him, rubbing his nose into Stiles’ neck.

Stiles quivered against him with a chuckle. “Is that affection or are you just scent marking me!”

Derek looked up with a sheepish smile. “Can’t it be both?” Stiles pressed against him with a long kiss. “Yeah.”

Stiles disengaged himself and poured two cups of coffee. He handed one to Derek and then sat back at the piles of books with a sigh.

Derek arched his eyebrows. “More?”

Stiles gestured at the piles. “I’ve really only tried half of these…Yesterday went well. That thing with the soil…” He flipped through the book. “The boundary spell. Even Puck couldn’t cross it.”

Derek smirked and gave a reluctant nod. Stiles frowned at the books. “I just feel like I need something…more…I don’t know…Attacky…You know offensive…” Derek sat down next to him.

“You just need to stay safe…Leave the attacking to me.”

Stiles turned and eyed him. “You saying I get to always be the damsel in distress? Christ! That’s worse than being the Robin to Scott’s Batman…”Stiles grumbled into his mug. “I’m definitely not being your Lois Lane!”

Derek chuckled and kissed his cheek. “You do have a way of getting into trouble!”

Stiles turned to him. “So? Don’t you think it’s smart that I can inflict some whammy on someone instead of just making a circle of protection? If I could have done that then Gerald…” He bowed his head remembering the emasculating beating he had received from the psychotic old man.

Derek leaned closer to him lifting his face up. “You should be able to defend yourself…I’m sorry. I just…don’t want you hurt.”

Stiles smiled softly at him and leaned in for another slow kiss. “I promise to look before I leap…”

“Uhggh. Fer Chrissakes you two are becoming more sickly sweet than a hallmark valentine.” Lugh shook his head at them.

Derek pulled away quickly and looked uneasily down at his hands.

“Relax Boyo!” he said with a glint in his eye. “It’s not like I don’t know you two are bumpin’ nasties every night….” He poured himself a mug of coffee and turned back to them with a raised mug. “…And…by the by… the howl last night…Nice touch.”

Derek’s face flamed in shame. Stiles covered his laugh quickly looking away.

Lugh lowered himself across from them and nodded at Stiles. “I agree with you…You need to up your arsenal.” He eyed Derek with a smirk. “ and...that’s not what you are thinking!”

Derek threw him a face. “Ha-ha.”

“Today is going to be all about putting into practice what you’ve learned.”

Stiles startled. “But I’ve only gotten through half of these!”

Lugh frowned. “It’s not like I could teach you everything in five days lad. I just needed to get you moving along…”

“But what about the Hag and the hunters…They wanted my mom’s book…We haven’t even begun to explore that and what it means…”

Lugh sipped his coffee slowly. “I don’t think it’s what they are looking for…I spent last night looking it over again…Since…I couldn’t sleep.” He gave Derek a pointed look, which made Derek blush again.

“It’s just a regular old family beastiary…I thought maybe Stella had put in some notes or codes but…” He held up his hands in defeat. “Just the run of the mill textbook on Advisor codes and miscellaneous nasties…”

He slumped against the table. “Now if she had left something else…a journal or…”

Derek sat up startled, his eyes wide. Both Stiles and Lugh turned to him. “What is it Lad?”

Derek furrowed his brow. “I have something…Of Stella’s…She left it to me…after she had died…” He looked at Stiles. “You gave it to me…Remember?”

Stiles nodded slowly remembering. “ A journal…with the Trisakelion…” His eyes widened. “I do remember! Where is it?”

“At my house! In my trunk…”

“Son of a bitch!” Lugh murmured. “No wonder they’ve not been circling around here! She must have figured out it wasn’t here!”

“What does that mean?” Stiles asked nervously.

“It means…whatever Stella had discovered…or tried to keep under wraps may now be in the hands of the Hag.”

Stiles swallowed nervously. “The ritual? That Peter did? You think that is what she wants?” He looked from Derek to Lugh. “But…Derek is here. They needed an Alpha’s blood…”

Lugh gave a deep sigh. “And the girl…Dammit…I’ve been so stupid!”He banged the table.

Stiles jumped up. “What do you mean? What girl?”

Lugh shook his head slowly. “Lydia…She’s in danger…since she couldn’t get to Derek... she’d need to get to the next piece in the ritual…”

Stiles gripped the table tightly. “ We need to go.”

“Aye Lad and fast…”


	20. Chapter 20

They made their way up the broken steps of the abandoned house which had become their makeshift hide out. The man holding Lydia over his shoulder dropped her over the bed. He gave his friend a conspiratorial wink as he eyed her youthful form. His friend smirked and gave a short nod in response. “Damn. I don’t remember girls at my high school looking like this…” He reached out his hand and caressed her leg, his finger gingerly tracing up to her laced top.

His friend gawked. “ Steve…Dude…If Avery or the old lady show up you’ll be dead!” Steve grunted and shrugged. “Then watch the door…Shouldn’t take me more than a couple of minutes….” He began unbuckling his belt and pulling out his shirt. He looked up at his friend who hadn’t moved. “What Mike? You want to watch?” Mike pointed with a shaky finger behind Steve. “Beatrice!”

 Steve spun and saw the old lady scowling at him. Her milky eyes, red rimmed and squinting at them.

“How? How the hell…did you get in here? Where is Avery we were supposed to be bringing the girl to her?” He stammered backing away from her.

She eyed him as he furiously refastened his belt. “ Avery is on her way with her Hunters….Just what do you think you are doing? To my new pretty thing? My eyes aren’t what they used to be…”

He swallowed and nervously shook his head. “Nothing. Beatrice. Just some fun…You know…we weren’t going to hurt her…Just some fun.”

The old woman cocked her head and looked down at the unconscious form of Lydia. She pursed her dry cracked lips into a pout. “Doesn’t look like she’d even be aware of it.” She looked up at them. “That’s what you guys like? Little young helpless things?” She laughed and clapped her hands. “Why didn’t you say so! You two have been so helpful…breaking into the Hale house getting me my new favorite read…Carrying our sleeping beauty from her house…I could totally help you both out! We pay our debts! And I think the two of you deserve it!”

They exchanged nervous glances. “Yeah?” Steve asked.

She laughed again. “I’ve got the perfect girl for the two of you.”

Mike smirked shakily. “Young? Pretty like this one?” He gazed over at Lydia with longing.

Beatrice smiled wide. “Oh. My friend! She’s one of a kind.”

A cold breeze suddenly swept through the room. The men turned slowly to the sound of a young girl’s giggle. The little girl smiled shyly up at them.

Mike backed up a step his hand reaching to Steve. “Uh…Dude this isn’t right…” Beatrice sat down and stroked Lydia’s hair. “Millie…These two are very naughty…” The two men looked back at her eyes wide with fear.

“I think they need some lessons in proper gentlemanly behavior….” Beatrice blinked her milky orbs slowly at them.

The low hissing from the little girl’s mouth made both men jump back in terror.

Beatrice waved her hand at the girl. “In fact…Maybe they need to lose what makes them gentlemen…They don’t seem to deserve it!”

With eyes black as pouring ink, the girl advanced. Her smile broadened flashing row upon row of serrated teeth.

Her grip on each of their throats stopped their screams from escaping.

Her claws cutting through the fabric of their pants started them anew.

 

* * *

 

Beatrice wiped her hands against her mouth. The faint tang of blood still warm on her tongue.

She eyed the eviscerated corpses. “Be a dear Millie…Clean up this muck. I can feel my ‘boss’ coming. She frowns upon needless bloodshed. Which…” She licked between her fingers. “…Is quite a shame.”

Avery and her hunters entered. She lifted her nose and frowned at Beatrice.

“I can still smell the blood!” She scanned to find the girl still safe and unconscious.

She noted that the two hired men were mysteriously gone. “What did I tell you! You aren’t here on a field trip. We had a deal!” Avery snarled at the old woman.

Beatrice raised her opaque eyes at her and shrugged. “They were very naughty boys. They wanted to defile your little guest…Bad manners.” Beatrice stood and patted her hair back. “Anyhow…Those two did what we needed…We have the book, and now the girl.”

She regarded the Hunters with a smirk. “Now to set the trap for the Alpha…You have the final piece?” She leaned over to look at the bound in chains and bloodied form of Peter.

She chuckled. “Not much fight in this one is there?” Peter rolled his head painfully up to look at her. She snickered at him. “Hard to dance with the dead and come out kicking hey sonny-boy? You think this will work? The pack will know enough to even come looking for him?”

One of the hunters smirked. “Pack? What pack? A weakling old man and a teenager? The Alpha is off on his little road trip…”  

 Peter began chuckling. “You think anyone would come to save me? Sorry. They may send you a thank you note instead.” Beatrice smiled at him. She reached over and stroked the bright strawberry blond hair; she let it slip softly through her fingers. He stiffened when he saw Lydia.

His lips curled back in a feral snarl. “What did you do to her!”

Avery stepped forward and clubbed him across the face. “It’s not your concern.”

Peter slumped forward in unconsciousness. Beatrice leaned back and flashed her yellowed teeth and chuckled. “The game is a foot.. You’ll get the ritual… but the little druid…he’s mine. A deal is a deal…after all. I am curious to know how he managed to dislodge my very potent and extremely well crafted miasma from that poor suffering Alpha’s soul.”

Avery gestured the men to gather up Lydia and Peter. “Take them down to the cellar. Keep her comfortable…and safe…” she eyed them as they left.  Beatrice slid slowly towards her with a faint smile. “You have the other ‘secret’ ingredient?”

Avery clenched her fists tightly and nodded. “You know I do… “ She eyed the Hag nervously.  “You will be able to do it?” Beatrice stroked her arm slowly, her eyes flashing white with a bleak glimmer. “A deal is a deal…Have no fear. I’ll give you what you seek.”

 

* * *

 

Lydia sat up and looked around the bright white room. The curtains rustled softly with the warm spring breeze. She stretched back against the silky sheets and smiled. 

Why had she been so scared last night? She couldn’t remember. She swung her feet to the floor and padded her way across the room to her mirror.

She pulled the brush through her hair softly, it always relaxed her, this one simple gesture. She remembered her mother doing this when she was young. It was their only together time. Right before bed…she’d brush her hair…Lydia turned and looked at the room.

This wasn’t her room. Wasn’t even her house. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, the eyes widening in fear. “Not again. No. No. Not again This can’t be happening.” She covered her face, shaking her head.

“Lydia. I’m sorry but…it is happening, and you need to listen to me.” Lydia lifted her eyes and saw a woman standing behind her.

The woman had a sad worried look in her eyes. “I tried to make this space comforting for you…I need you to just relax and listen to me.”

Lydia drew her brows down looking at her. “You look familiar…I’ve seen you before…”

The woman smiled softly and nodded. “I’ve been around for a while.” She pulled Lydia to face her. “Listen to me. They are going to be coming for you soon.”

Lydia flinched and nervously looked around her. The woman held her face softly. “You have a special ability that they need you for…You are able to speak to and control spirit.”

Lydia frowned and tossed back her head. “What the hell does that mean? Spirit? Like you mean…?”

The woman nodded. “Yes. Spirit…Like…Me…I’ll be with you. I’m here to help you…But you must allow me…Lydia? Will you trust me?”

The woman’s eyes held her. The eyes were a warm golden brown, sincere and earnest. Lydia nodded softly looking into her eyes. “I…I trust you.”

The woman smiled warmly and chuckled. “I’m glad. My name is Stella…”


	21. Chapter 21

 

John handed Mrs. Martin another kleenix. She dabbed it at her eyes weakly. “It just doesn’t make any sense! She’s been good…No strange behavior or sleepwalking spells, no signs of problems…” She covered her face with a cry. John leaned forward and held her shoulder.

“I’m sure we will find her…I already have men scouting the woods…”

She looked up with tired puffy eyes. “But it doesn’t make any sense! I thought she was better…I just don’t understand…” John looked up as the door opened. One of his officers gestured to him. John nodded slightly to her. “Mrs. Martin, I’ll be right back…” He gave her shoulder another gentle squeeze. Following his deputy out into the hallway his stomach clenched in fear.  “Did you find anything?” His deputy frowned. “No, sorry, Sheriff, nothing. The house showed no forced entry or exit. The dogs lost her scent about a mile from the house.”

John rubbed his face tiredly and nodded. “There’s someone here who asked to speak to you.”

John looked up with a frown. “Aw. Jeez…what now?” The officer shrugged. John gestured to the officer, “Please stay with Mrs. Martin. I’ll be right back.”

As he turned the corner he saw Scott and his girlfriend standing anxiously at the counter. For a minute he half expected to see his son. “Scott? What are you doing here?”

Scott looked over at Allison. “We heard about Lydia…We wanted to help.”

John furrowed his brow. “Heard? How?”

Allison looked down. “Uhmm. My dad’s police scanner…”

John rolled his eyes. That Argent seemed to always be in the mix. John sighed. “Is there anything that you can tell me? Had you noticed anything strange about her recently?”

Allison pressed her lips together in thought. “Well, she was upset about Jackson leaving…”

John nodded. “I spoke to Jackson this morning. He hasn’t heard from her. Listen you two want to help? Just keep your eyes open and your phones on…She may contact you…”

“Did you tell Stiles?” Scott asked.

John nodded. “He and Derek are on their way back today. He sounded pretty concerned…” He pointed a finger at Scott. “I don’t want you two doing anything stupid once he gets back….We are on this! I don’t need the two of you playing detectives…”

Scott nodded slowly, he eyed Allison. “Well…if you need us…”

John nodded. “Like I said…”

Scott held up his hands. “We got it. Good luck Sheriff.” He nodded and returned to his office.

Allison and Scott turned and hurried from the building heading to the car with Dr. Deaton and Dr. Fenris. Climbing into the back seat Scott leaned forward. “They don’t have any leads.”

Alan nodded and started the engine. “I didn’t think they would…If what Corvin said this creature will have covered her tracks thoroughly.”

Allison leaned forward. “What do we do then?”

Alan looked at her from his rear view mirror. “We get armed and ready. Allison you gather what you need and meet us at the Hale house.” He saw her jaw clench slightly and she looked away quickly.

Scott turned to her, his eyes worried. “You ok.” He hesitantly reached out to hold her arm. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes. I can do this…For Lydia.” She turned and held his gaze. “Just Lydia.”

Scott swallowed and nodded slightly looking away. “But not Stiles…or Derek? If they need you?” His eyes worried and pleading searched her face.

She ground her teeth. “Scott!” She growled and turned at him. “Of course I’d protect Stiles!” Scott nodded again and shook his head sadly.  She stared back out the window.

“Conrad…You said that Hunters may be involved?” Alan turned to Dr. Fenris. He nodded slightly.

“The jeep had been hit with arrows. The back tires blown out. But from what Lugh has told us recently…It seems there is more to just simply hunters tracking a werewolf.”

Allison exhaled sharply. “My family is not involved!”

Alan glanced up at her reflection in his rear view. “Of course not Allison. Your father follows the code…He wouldn’t target an innocent…”

She huffed and grumbled. “Innocent…yeah. Derek is certainly innocent…”

Alan looked down and shook his head.  He pulled up at Allison’s house. “I’ll have you two meet us at Derek’s house. Be sure to bring the items I listed.” He turned and handed the list to Allison. She eyed it and nodded.

“Scott, you and Isaac keep a look out for Derek and Stiles. Do not let them just run off randomly!” Alan pressed his lips tightly. “The charm I set around Lydia’s house showed that they crossed it and headed north. I am going to try following it. I will contact you Scott when I get my bearings.  But first I’ll drop off Conrad at the clinic…We may have need of his skills…later.”

Conrad nodded and turned to Scott and Allison. “You two…Please…Be careful.” They nodded at him and departed. He watched the two teens walk away as Alan pulled back onto the road.

“It’s all so unfair…” he mumbled shaking his head in disbelief. “So much responsibility…for kids so young.”

Alan took in a shaking breath. “It is unfair. It’s horrible…But they are in it. For better or worse…It is what they must do…Let’s hope that whatever spirits are guiding them are here today…I have a feeling they will be needing all the help they can get.”

 

* * *

 

 

The trunk had been ransacked. Photos and pages of his precious books torn and scattered across the floor. Derek sank down to his knees before the chaos of his most precious memories. With shaking fingers he tried to gather up as many of the torn photos and pages as he could. He could smell where they must have ambushed Peter. The scent of his blood still fresh on the floor, the drag marks of his claws, the heavy smell of iron and the sweeter tang of silver. How dare they! They attacked his pack, came into his space, his territory!

He felt his breath coming out in hot pulsing rage, his claws extending in fury.

Lugh gently placed his hand on his shoulder. The warmth and firmness startled Derek back to the moment.   
“Son. Calm. Stay calm. Do not allow this cruelty to obscure your purpose or make you lose your focus.” He looked up at the old man’s sorrow creased face and closed his eyes tightly. “It’s what she wants…You sad, angry…desperate. You’ve escaped her net once…Don’t fall back into it.”

Stiles and Puck returned. “I checked in with my dad…there is still no sign of Lydia. But Scott and the rest are heading up here. Deaton seems to think he has found a direction that they took.” Stiles skidded to a stop and looked down at Derek. Within a minute he was beside him, his hands pulling him up into an embrace. Lugh stepped back and allowed them the moment. He could see the anger and sorrow fading from Derek’s tight face as Stiles held him and murmured softly into his ear. It was amazing how quickly and easily the two of them had fallen into this easy rapport.

He had been right about one thing. These two were the real deal. The flow and ebb of their auras blended so perfectly, so beautifully that even Lugh…as hardened and jaded as he had become to love and romance… suddenly found himself smiling like a schoolgirl.

Stiles stepped back and regarded Derek. “We will make them pay. Together.” Derek nodded and looked at him with a small smile. “Together.” He whispered.

 

Puck squeaked and pointed towards the door. Within a minute Scott and Isaac entered. Scott blinked in surprise as Stiles and Derek stepped away from the embrace that they had obviously been in. Isaac smiled slowly and looked from them to Scott.  He arched his eyebrow at them. “Have a good…uhm…trip?”

Derek scowled. “Shut up idiot. What did Deaton say?”

Scott shook his head as if to clear the confusing thoughts that were spinning around him. He held up his phone. “He thinks they are north outside of town. An old house on Calvery Road. He said there are about fifteen people there…maybe more…”

 Derek nodded stiffly. “I know it…It’s past the cemetery.”

Lugh sighed. “Ok. Let’s get you set up then. Stiles with me….” He marched with purpose down the stairs. Stiles quickly followed him out the door to the jeep.

 Lugh pulled out a small trunk he had brought with him. “You’ll need to get rid of that hoodie…You need something with some pockets.”

Stiles flounced his arms and looked down at his clothes. “Wha? Why would I?”

Lugh opened the trunk and gestured to the assorted bottles and baggies lined up inside. “You said you wanted an arsenal…well here you are.”

Stiles eyes widened. He cautiously began picking up the vials and bottles. He looked at Lugh.

“You remember what each can do? What they are for?”

 Stiles nodded slowly. “I think so…Rowan berries and Juniper berries…protection…can be ignited…good against spirits…Iron shavings, Sea Salt mixed with mountain ash and oak shavings… burning against Sidhe and daemons…Aqua Purea…healing and blessing…can be used for Banishings. Blessed Earth…soil…protection…circles…bindings….Braided Pine and Willow  root…holding and bindings. ”

Lugh grinned at him with a wistful smile and looked over at Derek who was looking at Stiles with wide eyed pride.

“Hmm. Not bad huh? Boyo…Now…the hoodie?”

Derek pulled off his jacket and handed it to Stiles. “Wear this.” Stiles blinked at him and gave a short chuckle. “I guess we are official….” Derek snorted and smiled “Shut up idiot. Just…don’t get hurt…Okay?”

Stiles nodded slowly. “You either…” He stepped towards Derek and kissed him.

“Dude!” Scott stood wide eyed staring at them.

Derek and Stiles turned to look at him. Scott raised his eyebrows. “What was that?” Scott laughed nervously. His eyes and mouth opened wide looking from one to another.

Stiles patted Derek’s chest. “Uhhmm. Buddy. Derek and I…well.” He pointed his finger from his chest to Derek’s  

 “ We. Are…together.” He looked at Derek who rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Like… uhhmm… Boyfriends.”

“I think he got that Stiles.” Derek smirked.

 Scott shrugged. “Ok.”

He patted Derek’s arm . “We need to head out. Deaton just called he said something is going down.” Derek nodded at him then turned a surprised face to Stiles, who laughing just shrugged.

Scott stopped and looked at them both. “Really guys…You actually thought I’d be surprised… Jackson and I made a bet about you two….almost a year ago…so we going or what?”

 

* * *

 

 

Beatrice squatted down before the sleeping girl. The black ink markings over her face made her pale skin even more radiant.

She smiled softly and looked over at Avery who was standing poised and ready. “Why is it beauty is always wasted on the young?” She slapped Lydia harshly. Lydia’s eyes opened wide and looked at the woman before her.

“Ok… Sleeping Beauty…Time to open up and say ‘Ahh!’”  Beatrice smiled at her and with clawed fingers pulled Lydia’s jaws forcibly opened. Avery averted her eyes.  As the little girl appeared and faded quickly like a poisonous cloud stretching and undulating into her mouth and down her throat. Lydia’s eyes widened in terror and her body retched and struggled against Beatrice. Finally her eyes rolled back and she shuddered into stillness. Beatrice sat back and licked her lips waiting.

“Did it work?” Avery asked with a shaken tone. Beatrice nodded. Lydia sat up slowly her green eyes blinking slowly at them both. Avery stepped forward to look at her.

Lydia closed her eyes and shook her head furiously, when she stopped she opened her eyes the liquid blackness made Avery take a hurried step back. “Ah! So easy!” Beatrice smiled. “You got her snug and secured Millie?”

Lydia’s head lolled forward slowly in a nod. She gave Avery a smile. “Bring up the bait! I can feel the Alpha and his pack moving in!”

Avery eyed the dead eyed girl and shivered. “She will be ok…right? After the ritual?”

Beatrice shrugged slightly. “Millie’s a feisty daemon…She may take a more permanent liking to her…But don’t fret dear…We’ll deal with that bridge when we cross it. This is your game…your plan…What you have waited for is here. Now put on your game face. He’s here!” A howl shook the house. Peter pulled himself up from his bounds and whimpered softly. “He came? He actually came!”

 

* * *

 

Derek’s howl let Scott and Isaac know his exact location, they shifted silently and padded away from the woods towards the back of the house. Scott scented the air. He could barely smell Stiles and Lugh moving quietly behind them. Lugh had warned them that it would occur. It seemed to him that they had somehow lost most of their scent and now smelled faintly of pine trees.  Ahead he smelt the faint sweat of two hunters who had been positioned on the roof. He eyed Isaac and gave him a short nod. The two split their paths. Isaac caught the hunters attention causing the men to take aim at him, never realizing that Scott had slipped up behind them. With a careful blow he knocked the men unconscious and removed them of their weapons. Isaac clambered up next to him with a feral grin. “Nice!” He smiled. Scott smiled back and hefted them over his shoulder and leapt to the ground dropping them a bit rougher than necessary. Lugh quickly bound them and gagged them. He raised his hands and grasses seemed to rise over the prone forms. He chuckled at Scott and Isaacs’ awed faces. “Out of sight…Out of mind! Now. Inside quickly. Derek has their focus for the moment.”

Stiles turned his face worriedly towards the direction of Derek’s latest howl. He closed his eyes and followed Lugh into the house.

 

Derek crashed through five of the hunters. He felt the hot sting of a bullet rip through his arm and another his shoulder. He grit his teeth in pain. He threw his head back again in a roar. The hunters backed up from his fury. He had promised Lugh no needless deaths but these fools were making that a difficult decision. He felt his claws rip through the latest hunter’s jacket, as he had lunged at him with a silver blade. Derek headbutted him and tossed him aside.

Behind him Allison and Deaton were dispatching the stragglers.  From up ahead he saw the faint blue blur of Puck zigzagging across the roof hamstringing and tossing the remaining hunters aside with ease.

The men were panicking at the unseen attacker and began turning guns and crossbows at each other in an effort to stop whatever was attacking. Suddenly he saw Puck stumble and clutch at his throat in a panic.

A thick black cloud swirling over him. His eyes wide with fear and panic caught Derek’s for a moment before he vanished. Derek yelled out for him and lunged forward.  Clawing at the last of the Hunters below he rushed towards the cleared doorway only to be stopped by a cold sickening pain in his stomach. He found himself skidding to a stop face down in the dirt. The thick black cloud raced over him and through the area blocking all light. When he looked up he saw two cold white eyes staring at him with a bemused smirk.

“My! My! Such devotion. You do have style, Mr. Hale. But if you wanted to come in…all you needed to do was ask.”  She looked past him at the writhing bodies and grunts of pain from his onslaught.

She chuckled down at him. “Still all alone I see? “ Derek looked behind him to see that Allison and Deaton were nowhere to be seen. “Poor brave boy…After all these years…still so alone…Do you really think that they would do the same for you?” She raised her hand and Derek felt the coldness slide up his abdomen and into his heart. “I’ve seen their thoughts, felt their fear and anger of you…their …Pity…No, my poor lamb. You have no one…Nothing.” He grit his teeth as the familiar sorrow flooded him. “Ah-ha there it is! My old friend.” She curled her hand into a fist. “You’ve wasted enough of my time!”  She snarled.  He twisted into a ball of agony.

“Stiles!” He whimpered. “Stay safe…” The blackness of the pain finally taking him.

She looked up at the limping Hunters. “Take him upstairs!”

 

* * *

 

“Guard the doorway.” Avery dropped Derek within the circle Beatrice had constructed. The Hunters regarded her for a moment, the strange markings on the floor and the assortment of mirrors that ringed the room, then slowly left.

She knelt down and clamped the silver chain over his chest and arms. She wrapped the wolfsbane infused cord around his throat.  He groaned painfully and blinked his eyes opened. She startled and pulled away from him.

She looked down. “He’s secured!” she staggered back from him. Beatrice stepped forward leading Lydia. She pulled out the book slowly and flipped to the page she had ear marked. She raised her eyes to the Huntress. “Get it ready.” Avery nodded quickly and from next to the bed she pulled out a large wrapped canvas covered object. She grunted and tugged at it with a sad frown.

Outside in the hallway there was a large eruption of gunfire. Beatrice looked up angrily. She raised her head as if looking through the wall. Avery turned a startled look up at her. “Get your guns out! The Druid is here!...” she snarled angrily. “…Both of them!”

The door splintered open and Scott rolled forward. He saw Lydia and lunged at Beatrice. She dove from him and lifted her hands raking her claws down his back. He howled in pain and collapsed paralyzed.

Stiles stepped past the fallen hunters into the room. He saw Scott fall and Derek bound. He scrambled in his jacket and pulled out the blessed soil. Avery lunged at him her blade out; Stiles stumbled backward away from her.

He lifted the bottle and poured the dirt over Scott and Derek then turned back to summon a green glowing circle over them both.  Beatrice laughed and bent over him as he scurried forward over Derek and tried to unfasten the cord around his throat.

Stiles grasped another bottle from his pocket. He eyed it. “Fuck! Rowan and Juniper berries!” He closed his eyes and tried to recall the words.

“Who the hell is this? This is the one? The one who erased my spell? The great Stella’s little brat?” She cackled at him. “Fine stay in your little circle of earth, bunny rabbit. I’ll finish with you later… But, first where is the great fat oaf who thought he could pit you against me?”

Lugh staggered into the room, holding up Isaac who was pressing a hand over his bleeding stomach. “I’m here ya bloody bitch. Been just a wee bit busy trying to save these poor souls you’ve waylaid!”

“Me? Me?” She cackled. “I had very little to do with this…she wanted it…And she was willing to pay the price for it!” Beatrice pointed at Avery. Lugh regarded the Huntress with a surprised shock. He eyed the canvas bundle at her feet. She caught his look. “Oh lass! Ye don’t know what yer doing!” Beatrice spun quickly and a cold wind pummeled him and Isaac and sent them spinning from the room. A black smoke rose up over the doorway.   
“I won’t be able to hold him! It’s now or never girl! I must keep my word!”

Avery nodded and pulled the bundle over to Derek’s prone body. Stiles threw himself between her and Derek. He called on the strength of the blessed soil and pushed her back and away from him.

She gasped at Stiles and lifted her face to look at him. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at him. “He’s yours?” She whispered. He blinked in surprise at her, his hand reaching out protectively over Derek’s chest.

 She nodded slowly.” I can see it…in your eyes…This…” she carefully began unwrapping the canvas. The decaying flesh and bones uncovered made his stomach lurch. “This one was…is…mine…” She stroked the jawbone tenderly. “He was just an Omega…all alone…hunted…hated…He was never …an animal…”She turned back and glared at Stiles. I don’t want to hurt you…or him…But this is my only chance…my only way to get him back.” Stiles mouth dropped open in shock. She smiled down at the corpse before her. “He was so quiet, gentle…then…then they did this…”

She removed the remaining canvas. Stiles saw that the body had been severed in half. “I knew they wouldn’t understand how I felt…So I never told them…He and I always…in secret always hiding….But now…I’ll be there for him. Protect him. Keep him safe! But this time he will live…Beatrice has promised me…Even if yours dies…My love will live again…” She nodded furiously and wiped at her tears, then slowly turned to him.  “So don’t you…Fucking… Get in my way!” She roared. “Do it Beatrice! Now!”

Beatrice opened the windows and the room flooded with moonlight. She adjusted the mirrors until they shone on the corpse. She led Lydia to kneel between Derek and the corpse. “Take their hands.” She followed directions wordlessly her eyes black and shining at Stiles.

The flash of a blade made Stiles jump back in fear as Beatrice handed it to Lydia. “Do it!” 

Stiles cried out and grabbed at her cold hand which effortlessly brushed him aside. With a quick slash she cut Derek’s arm and placed the skeletal hand over his flowing wound. Derek’s body jerked and writhed in pain. Stiles was flung backwards.

A soft voice was calling his name. “The berries Stiles… ‘bladhaire’.” He turned away from Derek to see Lydia calmly looking at him. Her eyes a warm golden brown.

She stood and stepped away. Her hands held out at Beatrice holding her in place.  He blinked up at her in shock. Then pulled out the small bottle and poured out its contents over the corpse. With a shaky voice he whispered.  “Bladhaire” The flames erupted over the dried flesh and bone. He grabbed Derek to his chest and rolled with him from the sudden blaze.

Avery gave out a scream and dove at the body. Her hands trying to beat out the flames. She turned and looked at Stiles. Her hands blackened and smoldering, her face a rictus of agony.  Stiles closed his eyes against Derek’s chest. He felt his arm slowly lifting to encircle him. “Stiles?” He whispered. Stiles looked at him and then over at the form of Avery collapsed against her beloved. A faint smile had been etched amidst the flames as she had finally succumbed. Stiles held Derek tightly and wept.

 

Lugh stumbled into the room, his eyes furiously searching the scene. “Holy Lady! You did it lad.” He bent down and unfastened the chains from Derek. He helped them up slowly.

Beatrice snarled in fury as she backed away. “I’ve been cheated tonight Lugh! But I am not over yet! The book’s secrets are mine! And so will this one’s soul be mine!” She pointed a wavering finger at Stiles. “He took my commission!”

Lydia turned to smile at him. “He was never yours…either of them. They belong only to themselves…and each other…” Her form wavered and Stiles gasped.

“Mom!”

Stella nodded and turned back to Beatrice. “I have been holding back a very angry little Daemon. She’s quite unhappy with you…Seems you promised her a lot of souls this night….I’m afraid she’ll have to make due with only one…”

Beatrice took a shaky step back, her head shaking slightly. “You couldn’t you…are bound by the rules of balance…You cannot take a life…undefended…”

Stella smiled sadly. “But I am past those laws…I lived a true life. Protected, loved, guided…I lived and died as nature decreed…You however…You have twisted, harmed and blackened every soul you came upon…”

Stella turned and regarded them with a familiar smile.  “Stiles…Baby…Derek… be happy, be in love, be free from sorrows…I am so proud of you…both…Now… close your eyes.” She gave them a wink. “And Lugh? Give the whiskey a break!”

Lugh nodded and laughed through his tears. A white bright glow filled the room. Derek pulled Stiles tightly to his chest.

“Mom!” Stiles sobbed against him. “I love you!”

“I love you too! Always and forever…Always and forever…”

 Derek held him tightly. “I’m here Stiles. I’m here!” Stiles pulled him closer as the light seemed to erase everything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so a lot here. Didn't break it into chapters. There is still more but it's winding down. :( Hope you are all enjoying what is happening. Keep the comments coming.


	22. Chapter 22

 

Stiles blinked rapidly against the lingering flare that the light had left. Derek’s head down against him breathed out. “Stiles? You ok?” Stiles patted his shoulder softly reassuring him. “I’m…ok.”  He looked over at the old woman’s corpse. It was gone, instead in its place was a fine paper thin wrapping of her shape, hollowed and grey like the ruined remains of wasp nest. Then he smiled remembering who had killed her. “That was my mom…” He smiled sadly with a blooming pride. “And she was… bad ass!” He closed his eyes and smiled remembering the sound of her voice, the look in her eyes. Derek nodded softly. “I saw her…heard her…”  Stiles smiled up at him. “You heard what she said…Right?” Derek leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead. “We are loved…Truly loved…” Derek flinched and looked down at his cut arm. Stiles covered it softly with his hand.  “You look a bit pale…Derek you ok?” Derek cocked his head and looked up and smiled. “Just shot a few times…uhmm…stabbed…tied up…You know normal night out.” Stiles raised his eyebrows at him and chuckled. “Humor? Good sign… I think… or it’s a concussion.” Derek chuckled and pulled him close.

A movement across the room made him look up. “Stiles…Lydia!” He gestured over to the girl with his eyes, as she slowly sunk down to the ground. Lydia began weeping into her hands. Stiles carefully stepped from Derek’s embrace and rushed over to her. She turned her head up and looked at him and with a cry jumped up and pulled him close. “She saved me! Stiles! Your…mom… Stella saved me! That thing was so dark so frightening…But she…was there…like a warm hug…a light in the darkness. She saved me.” She dropped her head in exhaustion and fainted against him. Stiles arms caught her slumping form and hugged her and rubbed her back gently. “I think she may have saved a lot more than just us.”

Lugh nodded and stepped forward. He bent down and examined Scott’s back. He ripped off the shredded shirt and poured out a vial of Aqua Purea over him. A faint blue cloud of vapor rose off him. Scott groaned slightly then collapsed against the floor. “Derek grab him…These may need more than just a quick patch up. Gods only know what poisons she had in her claws.” Derek carefully cradled Scott up, like a father carrying a child to bed. He looked down at the boy’s unconscious face his brows drawn with worry and looked nervously over at Lugh. “He’ll be ok? Right?”

“He will if we get a move on! Stiles get the book! And help Lydia…And him…” He eyed Peter with a scowl. “We aren’t finished here yet…There may still be Hunters stalking around…So let’s proceed carefully.” Moving into the hallway he eyed the crumpled pile of men that Scott and Isaac had attacked. “These five are just unconscious…but there may be others.”

He helped Isaac stand up. “You able to move Laddie?” Isaac gave him a small grunt and nodded.

With their wounded they walked softly and slowly through the house. Lugh cautioned them to stay still as two forms made their way into the house. Isaac pushed past him, his nose lifted with a smile. “It’s ok…It’s only Allison and Deaton.”

Alan lifted his crossbow as they approached but dropped it down when he saw who they were. “Lugh? What was that flash?”

“Some unexpected but very welcomed help?” Lugh smiled at him. “Let’s move.”

Allison rushed forward when she saw Scott limply curled in Derek’s arms. “Scott!” she stopped and looked up at Derek her, face a mix of conflicting emotions. “What happened!” She demanded angrily reaching out to touch Scott’s pale face.

Derek followed her eyes to his face. “He was attacked trying to save us…” He caught her eye and swallowed. “I need to get him some help.” She stood back and blinked at him. Stiles supporting Lydia and Peter stopped suddenly as a hand reached out striking Peter in the back of his head causing him to fall face first into the wall. Stiles was grabbed and then spun him around. A hard fist connected with his jaw sending him flying before he had a chance to even blink. He and Lydia crumpled to the ground. Derek roared and lunged but a sudden weakness gripped him. He looked down at the slow bleeding wound on his arm with surprise. He looked over at Stiles and whimpered softly.

 Two more Hunters appeared behind the first, guns drawn and aimed at him, Allison and the others. The first hunter stepped over Stiles and Lydia and smirked at him.  
“You the Alpha…Right? The one Avery went to all this trouble about?”

Derek snarled. “I’m leaving with my friends…We don’t want to hurt anyone…”

The man laughed and pulled out his cell phone. He pressed a number. “You in place?” He smiled. “Sweet.”

“I said…I don’t want to hurt anyone…” Derek slowly stepped forward. He looked over at Lugh.

“That’s mighty kind of you.” The Hunter smiled. “But you see…I’m not that…kind. Avery got mixed up with that creature…Sure… we knew what she was trying…But when we found out we could wipe out not only the Hag but the whole freakin’ Hale pack…Well…How could we pass up that opportunity?”

Derek clenched his jaw tightly.  “They…they aren’t part of my pack.” Derek nodded at Stiles and Lydia. “And neither are they….They just all came to help save the girl….” He looked over at Allison and Deaton.

The Hunter eyed Allison. “You look familiar? You?  A hunter of Gerard’s…”

Allison stiffened and nodded. “He’s my Grandfather…I came to…to kill the Hag and save my friend…” She lifted her chin up and tried to eye him with a haughty ‘right to be here look’.

The hunter smiled at her. “Yeah…I see the resemblance…”. He chuckled darkly. “I used to be an old friend of your Aunts…small world.” He eyed her for a moment.  

He gestured to Lydia and then at Deaton. “Let her take that one and him… The others came with that one…” He eyed Stiles then Derek.

Allison moved cautiously and lifted Lydia to her feet. Lydia blinked her eyes opened and jerked back. “Shhh. I came to rescue you…” Alison widened her eyes hoping Lydia would grasp the situation.

Lydia eyed the five men pointing their guns, then at Stiles crumpled form groaning at her feet.  She nodded and whimpered hugging Alison. “Oh. Thank you I knew you’d save me!” Then in a softer tone she whispered “Save them…Please.” Allison nodded and lifted her up. “Ok. We…are going…” She eyed the men carefully as she moved past them. 

Behind Derek the door opened and three other Hunters staggered in, two holding rifles the last a sword.  “What are you waiting for Phil! It’s done! I’ve already poured it down here…Let’s go and roast these bastards.”

Derek recoiled from the gas fumes that clung to the man’s clothes.  His eyes widened in terror.

Phil stepped forward. “We are letting these three go….They aren’t involved.” He pointed the gun in a sweep at Allison and Lydia.

“Like fuck they’re not!” One of them lifted his gun at her. “They took out half of the men!”

His finger pulling at the trigger caught Derek’s ear. He dove forward against him, dropping Scott and blocking the barrage of bullets aimed at Allison.

He staggered forward blood erupting from his throat.

Allison threw her knife quickly hitting the man square in the chest. He fell backward spraying gunfire through the ceiling.

 She caught Derek’s eye as he fell forward. “Save them!” he whimpered reaching for Stiles and Scott.  “Please!”

Before she could stand the other hunter lunged at her with his sword.

Soft warm arms wrapped around her crashing her to the ground, a soft groan of pain brushed against her cheek. She looked up at the face of the old man.

He smiled weakly and grunted softly. “Damn.” Before he slid off her, leaving a bright red pool across her chest.

 Stiles was slowly creeping forward, his hands cradling his head, looked up to see Lugh fall nearly severed by the sword. He saw Derek sprawled in a pool of blood.

A cold and dark anger erupted like a storm in his heart. He opened his mouth in a scream.

 It was as if something had reached into his deepest darkest sorrow and gave it voice. 

Another voice joined his, terrible and hot like an inferno. He caught Alan’s eyes on him

The men fell back, guns dropping, hands clutching at their ears.

 Allison grabbed Lydia and Scott and stumbled out the door. 

Stiles staggered to his feet, his scream spent, his eyes weeping in an agony he had never thought possible.

Pulling out a vial he threw down the willow roots which sprung up and lashed and bound around the men.  

He turned to Deaton his voice hollow and spent. “Get them out of here!” Alan nodded slowly and grabbed at Peter and Isaac and hurried them staggering from the house.

The hunter, Phil snarled at him. “Animals! That what you all are. Just filthy animals. You’d betray your own kind…for them.” He pulled and twisted against his bounds.  “But you won’t live to see another day.”

Stiles saw the hunter’s hand drop down and a quick flash of a lighter illuminated the room. The trail of flame raced along the poured trail of the gasoline.

Stiles grit his teeth. He picked up the sword and lifted it to plunge it into the Hunter. A firm hand grabbed him and pulled him back. He spun ready to attack and looked into Derek’s eyes.

“No. Stiles…No. This isn’t who you are…Please…”Derek's eyes widened imploringly at him. "It's not who you are..." He sagged down, hand clutching at his bloody stomach.

Stiles dropped the sword and grabbed Derek to him. “I thought…thought you were…” He buried his face against Derek.

Derek pulled him up. “Come on we need to go…now…”

“Lugh!” Stiles whimpered and turned towards the still form.

The flames leapt up over the walls. Derek whimpered and clutched at him. “It’s too late Stiles! Please…I love you!.You need to be safe..Out! Stiles! Out!” With his remaining strength he lifted and threw Stiles through the doorway before collapsing.

Stiles landed a good distance from the house.

Allison and Lydia ran towards him. He scrambled up in a panic with a scream. "No!"

As he turned to rush back to the house he saw the flames explode out in a fireball.

 Allison pulled him back with a cry.

He sank numbly to his knees as the windows exploded around him and debris struck his body.

The heat of the flames mocking the wet tears running down his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't Hate me....More to come....


	23. Chapter 23

The flames crept swiftly over the building sending up thick black plumes of smoke. Stiles grasped the earth before him angrily. Deaton pulled at him. “Stiles…We have to go…” He turned blank eyes at him. “Then go.” He said softly, turning back to look at the flames. He turned a concerned face to Lydia and Allison who knelt quietly by him. “Stiles we need to get Scott taken care of…he’s hurt.” Lydia stroked his arm gently. Her eyes welling with unshed tears. Stiles blinked slowly. “Scott? He’s hurt?”

“Yes, Stiles. He needs to get back to the clinic…We need…to get you  home…” Lydia blinked and wiped away her tears. “Please…Come with us…”

“Home?” Stiles brows furrowed slightly.

“Yes Stiles.” Lydia said calmly. “Your dad. He’ll be worried about you…”

Stiles nodded slowly. “I should tell him…Stop lying to him…Have him and Derek talk…I think he’ll like him once he really sees him…love him.”

Alan grabbed his shoulder and turned him slowly to look at his face. He sighed deeply and stood up. He gestured for the girls to follow him. He stopped and shook his head. “He’s in deep shock…”

“I never knew he was so close to Derek.” Allison whispered. She looked down guiltily. “He saved my life…and Scotts and Stiles…” She took in a shuddering breath. 

Deaton sighed and nodded. “There was more to Derek than most like to assume.” He looked at Allison.  She hung her head. “Stiles was able to finally see the real Derek…and let Derek remember who he was…who he always was truly meant to be.” Alan wiped his eyes roughly. “At least in the end…he had found love again.”

Allison startled and looked at him. “Stiles?” She chuckled weakly.

Alan nodded. “He hasn’t just lost a friend…” Allison stepped back from them with a soft shake of her head. “Why? Why save me? Why not…”

Alan chuckled. “What let you die? Because you‘re a hunter? You are also a part of his pack… because he knows Scott loves you…Derek was always trying to protect you…all of you. Granted sometimes he slipped up, failed in decisions…” He eyed them. “But in the end he did what he did… because he knew what it was… to lose everyone and everything he loved…He was always protecting others from that.”

Lydia choked back a sob as she watched Stiles silhouetted against the house. “Stiles?”

Deaton sighed and shook his head. “I’ll stay with him. I’ll bring him home when he’s able.”

Lydia shook her head. “I’m staying too! He can’t be alone…not like this.” Deaton gave her a small smile and nodded. He looked up at Allison.

“You need to take the rest of them to Fenris, he’s at my clinic. Have Isaac help you, he should be able to carry Scott. Peter can drive…” Allison nodded slowly.

She looked down at Stiles. “Tell him…I’m sorry…sorry for everything.”

Deaton turned to Lydia. “I will walk her to the cars, you stay with him.”  She nodded and moved back to sit at Stiles’ side. He glanced at her and then back at the house.

“Stiles…I am so sorry.” She gingerly laced her arm over his shoulder and leaned her head against his. She felt his body rise and fall as new tears began.

She pressed her face against him. “He loved you! He loved you…He only wanted to save…” stiles jerked forward with a sudden gasp.

“Stiles?”

He rubbed his chest slowly. “I can still…”

He jumped up and began running.

Lydia screamed and tried to grab at him. “Stiles! Come back!” She jumped up after him and followed as he ran past the house into the woods.

By the edge of the tree line she saw him drop to his knees. Laying there in the darkness she could see two huddled forms. Stiles dove forward with a shout.

“Derek!” Stiles pulled him up onto his lap, crying and laughing in disbelief. Derek opened one bloodied eye and smiled faintly up at him. “You’re safe.” He sighed softly.

Lydia dropped down next to them her eyes searching over Derek.

He was badly cut and bleeding. Stiles was stroking and touching him as if unsure whether or not he was real. “How did you?” Derek opened his eyes again. “Had help…through the window.”

He turned to look over at Lugh’s body. He struggled to sit up. Lydia and Stiles each too an arm carefully. “Puck…”

Stiles looked over and saw the small creature curled protectively next to Lugh’s body. It blinked sadly up at him. Stiles could see his blue skin had been crisscrossed and sliced by glass. Puck looked down at Lugh and whimpered.

“Yeah… yeah… you two keep having yer romantic moment…while I just bleed into the night.”

Stiles and Derek both jumped up to him. “Lugh! You are alive?”

The old man squinted up at him. “Seems my fat took the brunt of it…Be a good lad. In my jacket…me flask…”

Derek softly cradled him and lifted him up. Stiles pulled out the flask and opened it and handed it to him with a shaky hand.

He could see the wound, gaping and angry under the flicker of the house fire. His eyes caught Derek’s.

Lugh drained the flask and smiled faintly.  “Slainte lads.” He blinked at Stiles. “You were pretty amazing Boyo. Did me proud.” Stiles hung his head.

“Lugh…We’ll get you help…fixed up…” he turned to Lydia. “Get Alan. Hurry.” She jumped up but Lugh shook his head.

“No. It’s too far gone now.” He reached his hand and grasped Stiles arm. “I’ve had me run. The sweet mother has had a taste of me. I’m ready to return back to her.”

Stiles shook his head slowly. “I can…help…” He pulled out the bottle of Aqua Vitae he carried and poured in over the gash.

Lugh chuckled. “Boyo…that’s just pissing in the Sea…Look at me.”

Stiles looked up with trembling lips.

“I’m done. We all have our paths. Like water here on earth…We can float like vapor unseen, or rage like the sea…Or fill a well and bring others hope and life…I think my cycle is completed.” He coughed painfully.

Derek held him up, his eyes flashing with concern. “But I got a chance at redemption…I got to see you two…see that you would carry on…Got to see my beloved Stella…one last time…” He closed his eyes. “Don’t grieve for me…I’ll be back someday…Like an old weed in a rich man’s garden…” He chuckled and squeezed Stiles’ hand. “You boys did me proud…Be strong together…” He looked at Stiles and squinted. “You are a part of each other…Two Alphas…perfectly matched…”

Derek looked up at Stiles with wide eyes. Stiles blinked slowly at him.

“Stiles! Your eyes…” Lydia looked at him and gave a small gasp. “They...they are red!”

Stiles shook his head slowly. “What? What does that mean?”

Lugh grabbed at Derek’s hand and connected it with Stiles. “You were carrying him on…protecting the pack…” When their hands touched Stiles could feel the current of power flow through them. “Yer his…he’s yours…The spell wouldn’t have worked….”

He looked up at Derek. “Yer not alone anymore, Derek…You’ll never be without the other…But for now he’s the alpha…” He smiled gently at Stiles.” Give it back to him boyo. With all the love and protection and care you have…”

Derek’s eyes flashed red as he looked in wonder at Stiles, he felt the warmth and love flow through  him like a gentle caress, felt his strength returned, his heart made whole.

 Lugh shuddered slightly and dropped his hand from theirs.

“Puck?” He whispered. The little creature scurried up to him, eyes wide and sad. “Will you watch over my boys for me? When I’m gone?” Puck nodded slowly, his hand stroking the silver beard softly. Lugh smiled at him. “You’ve been a great friend to me.”

Lugh stroked his thin cheek. “Could you take me home? I’d like to be in my grove…” Puck drooped his head and nodded. Lugh sighed and closed his eyes. “Thank you.”

Puck lifted his head and gave out a low soft whistle. The trees began to rustle slightly and tiny figures crept cautiously forward.

The creatures responded with soft clicks and tweets at Puck.

He carefully removed Stiles and Dereks’ hands and gave them a slow blink. Cradling Lugh he lifted him away. The other creatures stepped forward each holding onto the old man. A faint soft breeze shook through the trees making them ripple and sway.

When they looked back at Lugh, he was gone.

Stiles breath caught in a hard sob. He looked at Derek and then at Lydia, who was watching with wide eyes. “You saw?”

She nodded quickly. He smiled at her. “I wish you had had a chance to know him…”

He stood and took a deep breath, then bent down to help Derek up. They stood looking at one another silently. Derek cupped Stiles face tenderly and kissed him, his fingers brushing the tears from his eyes. “Stiles…”

“Let’s get you fixed up…And then we can go home.”

Derek smiled and leaned his head against his. “Home. I am home. Right here…right now…with you.” Stiles embraced him tightly and whispered. “Always…and forever.”

 

* * *

 

 

_Epilogue_

 

 

Ms. Morrell paused in her doorway and gave Stiles a surprised smile.

“I didn’t think we had an appointment Stiles.” She pulled out her chair and sat down with a smile. “But I happen to be free at the moment…Even though…” she looked at her watch. “School is over.” Stiles nodded and plucked at the string on his hoodie.

“I’m sorry to just …come in to wait…I thought it would be good if we talked…” he bit at his thumb. “I mean…a lot has happened…since well…last time we talked.”

Ms. Morrell pressed her lips together and raised an eyebrow. “Well. Then let’s talk.”

Stiles fidgeted his body slightly and leaned forward. His eyes down at his trembling hands. “I learned a lot of…stuff…” He looked up at her briefly.

She smiled and nodded.

“I discovered that my mom had some pretty awesome gifts…abilities that I…I guess I inherited…The guy you sent me to…was pretty awesome…He taught me a lot.”

Ms. Morrell’s smile widened. “I’d love to see it sometime…I’ve only heard of his skills.”

“I also realized that I was in love with someone…” He chuckled slightly. “And more amazingly… that he was in love with me…We uhmm…Spent a lot of time together…Got to become close.”

She nodded again. “Close?”

Stiles blushed and ducked his head down. “As close as two people can be…”

Morrell sat back. “So this…someone…Is he anyone that I know?”

Stiles looked up at her. “Derek Hale.”

She blinked quickly. “And Derek is…doing well?”

Stiles smiled at her and nodded. “Yeah. In fact he’ll be picking me up soon.”

Ms. Morrell sat back and crossed her legs. “And Derek…he went with you? To Corvin’s?” She reached out and picked up a pencil and nervously twisted it in her fingers. “That must have been…a bit strange.”

Stiles smiled softly. “No… it was perfect…You see…” Stiles leaned forward. “Someone had placed a curse on him…a miasma…A Hag and a poor deluded, heartbroken hunter were trying to get at him… I…was able to remove it. Pretty wild, huh?”

“Sounds like he put you smack dab in the middle of danger…if you ask me.”

“Well… that was the weird thing…It was almost like someone wanted me…out of the way.” He frowned at her. “But…Fate had other plans I guess.”

She arched her brow at him. “Fate?”

Stiles pursed his lips and nodded. “Seems Derek and I…well…we are ‘mates’.” He chuckled slightly. “I know it sounds like we are going to be raising a litter of puppies…” He looked hard at her. “But it is more than that…We are bound together. His fate…my fate…all mushed and mixed together…”

Ms. Morrell let out a soft huff of breath.

“Our moms were friends…long time ago…pretty close. Seems we were meant to be…”

“Really? I didn’t know that.” She smiled weakly at him. She glanced at her watch. “Well, we’ll have to catch up later on all the other details…I am really interested…”

Stiles nodded and stood up. “Yeah. Yeah. We should…Thanks.”

She eyed him from her chair. “No problems.”

Stiles gathered his bag over his shoulder then stopped and turned back to her. “Oh. Just one last thing.”

“Yes, Stiles?”

He scratched at his head. “I was just wondering how the Hunter…Avery…How she found out about what Peter did…I mean…It wasn’t Derek…or Peter…or Lydia. I guess it could have been Deaton…but that didn’t make any sense…Who else would have known?”

She blinked up at him, her hand curling around the pencil. “Stiles…I am an advisor…I serve the balance…”

“Was the balance getting all mucked up?” He leaned forward. “You felt you needed to encourage her to raise her dead lover? Consort with Daemons?”

Ms. Morell’s eyes flashed at him. “I had nothing to do with the Hag!” She snarled. “I simply gave information to the hunter…what she chose to do with it…You weren’t supposed to be involved!”

Stiles smiled thinly and nodded. “So you sent me off to keep me out of harm’s way?”

“Yes! Stiles! I wanted you to see your true potential…See that you aren’t just some comic relief…That you could be a player… not a pawn!” she raised up her hands hitting the desk. He eyed her.

“So you had no idea…That they would try to kill Derek? Or Lydia? They weren’t pawns?”

“He is dangerous Stiles! He has no idea what he is doing…What disruptions he has caused just by being! He allowed the Kanima to happen…turned three innocents into werewolves and then lacked the wisdom and strength to guide and protect them!”

Stiles looked down at his clenched fists. “You do know that because of you Lugh…died…all the hunters died…Avery died.”

She blinked slowly. “I had no part in that.”

He chuckled. “You just shared the information you heard? So I guess you are free of blame? It all comes down to choice?”

She nodded slowly.

Stiles gripped his backpack strap and nodded. “Choice. Well I’ve made a choice. I am Derek’s protector…his advisor.” He looked at her his eyes fixed and determined. “You decide to make a ‘choice’ against him again…You’ll answer to me.”

She flinched suddenly. Her eyes widened.

“Actually…I think I’d like to share some of what I have learned.” He nodded towards the desk. She looked down at the wood grain climbing steadily up her arms, the twisting of willow roots wrapping up her legs. She startled and struggled and gaped looking at him.

“Pretty cool! Huh? Should fade in about…” he leaned over her and looked over at her watch. “Four…five hours…Thanks for the counseling…I think I’m all better now. Let’s keep this confidential…I wouldn’t want you losing your job over this…I mean endangering a minor…Sounds pretty bad.” He turned off her lights and took her keys from her pocket and locked the door. He turned and gave her a wave.

“Stiles!” she yelled as he closed the door. “Stiles!”

He walked down the empty hallway with a huge smile. He dropped her keys into the nearest trash bin. He stepped out into the fading afternoon sun and smiled at Derek leaning against the hood of his Camaro.

“You all set?” He smirked at Stiles and stepped forward to kiss him. Stiles smiled at him and opened the door and climbed in. “I probably will have detention for the rest of the year…but…yeah. I made my point.”

Derek pulled out his phone and attached it. “I found a new song for us.”

“Yeah?” Stiles smiled. Derek nodded seriously at him. “You’re not going to make me cry again are you?”

Derek pursed his lips. “Don’t know….You are a moody little thing!” Stiles batted his arm. “Just play it Sourwolf!”

Derek hit the play button and sat back.

_Ho Hey Ho Hey (Ho)_

_I’ve been trying to do it right (Hey)_

_I’ve been living a lonely life (Ho)_

_I’ve been sleeping here instead (Hey)_

_I’ve been sleeping in my bed (Ho)_

_Sleeping in my bed (Hey) Ho!_

_(Ho) So show me family (Hey)_

_All the blood that I would bleed (Ho)_

_I don’t know where I belong (Hey)_

_I don’t know where I went wrong (Ho)_

_But I can write a song (Hey)_

_(2, 3) I belong with you, you belong with me You’re my sweetheart_

_I belong with you, you belong with me You’re my sweetheart._

 

“This where we drive into the sunset?” Stiles asked laughing, holding his hand.

Derek looked up at the sun with an arched brow. “Or something there about.”

Stiles leaned close to him and waggled his eyebrow suggestively. “I can think of a few ways we can spend the next few hours.”

Derek chuckled, raised his eyebrows and gave him a saucy grin. “I think that would be a good idea!” He hit the gas and they roared down the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hey Ho" By the Lumineers.  
> Thanks for joining me on this ride...I'll be back...:)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a continuation of In Memory of those I loved.


End file.
